


Unchained

by Cheeyathebard



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers Aren't Related, F/F, Prison, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:53:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26866945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheeyathebard/pseuds/Cheeyathebard
Summary: Kara Zorel, leader of the Hornets, is a prisoner with an underlying heart of gold. When the new warden, Alex Danvers, asks for her help cleaning up the prison, she agrees to enter into a partnership… of more than one type.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers
Comments: 75
Kudos: 135





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, once again, I did a thing. This one is also finished, and I’ll be posting the seven parts over the next week or so. Just a couple of things. I’m an IT geek, not a lawyer, prison officer etc. Everything you read in this story, I made up based on TV shows etc. Don’t be too hard on me! There are some references to drug taking and a little bit of violence here and there, but nothing too heavy. And of course, it wouldn’t be one of my stories without some adult lady fun! Oh, and one more important piece of information: Hank Henshaw in this story is NOT J’Onn. K? K!
> 
> I wrote this as one long story so some parts ended up longer than others when I was trying to find logical break points :-)

Rays of sunlight through metal bars painted stripes across a sleeping woman’s body. Her blonde hair glowed under its hue and its warmth began to rouse her from a very strange dream of running through green pastures and flowered meadows. Groaning softly, she shifted uncomfortably, her back aching from the thin mattress that barely masked the rough springs of the metal bedframe beneath her. She rolled over onto her back and scratched sleepily at the black neck tattoo that indicated that she was a member of the most feared crew in the California State Women’s Correctional Facility. But Kara Zorel wasn’t just a member of the Hornets. She was their leader… and she was both respected and feared.

A sudden bang against the bars of her cell made her jump and she scowled as she sat up and swiveled her legs off the mattress. She leaned on her thighs with her head bowed and yawned sleepily. “Get up, Zorel,” a male voice ordered as a shadow crossed the bars of her cell.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kara replied flatly, scrubbing her fingers against her scalp and rubbing her blue eyes. “I’m coming.” She got to her feet and went to the bars, looking up and down the walkway as far as she could see before springing up and grabbing the highest crossbar. She dangled for a moment, sighing with relief as her spine realigned, and then let go to drop right down into fast pushups that she kept up until her arms wouldn’t hold her weight anymore.

“How many you got today?” a voice called to her and she chuckled softly.

“I wasn’t counting, Megan,” she replied as she stepped behind the privacy wall of her cell and shed her pajama bottoms and tank top. She used the toilet and slipped into fresh underwear and a pair of dark blue overalls emblazoned with her prisoner number in big white characters on the back. Then she brushed her hair, tied it back in a loose ponytail and grabbed her washbag and towel. “Shoes,” she reminded herself and reached under her bed to find a pair of white sneakers and socks.

“Let’s go, Prisoners!” the same male voice called out and the familiar buzz sounded as all of the cell doors in Kara’s row slid open. “It’s another beautiful day in cell block B. Time for morning count!”

Kara finished tying her laces and then stepped out onto the walkway, towel over her forearm and washbag clenched in her fist. She smiled at her friend who was lolling against the twelve inches of breeze block wall separating their cells. “How did you sleep?” Megan asked.

“Same shit, different night,” Kara replied with a frown. Then she lowered her voice. “I can’t shake that dream I told you about.”

“That happened to me too when I first got here,” the older woman replied with a shrug. “I call ‘em dreams of freedom.”

Kara snorted a laugh. “I’ve been here almost a year,” she said.

“Blow in,” Megan teased.

The blonde chuckled as she straightened in front of the guard who was counting them. “Good morning, Mr. Henshaw,” she said in a sickeningly sweet voice that made Megan snicker.

The tall man stopped and slowly turned, pulling out his baton and twirling it in his hand before easing it under her chin, to bring her eyes up to his. “I’m not in the mood for your shit today, Prisoner Zorel,” he said quietly. ‘So just don’t.”

Kara feigned contriteness and lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mr. Henshaw, I guess I’ll save it for tomorrow.”

The man rolled his deep, brown eyes and put away his baton again, shaking his head as he continued along the row.

“Mmmm mmm,” Megan murmured. “Someday, he’s gonna lose it and you’re gonna end up in the hole.”

“Whatever,” Kara replied with a shrug. “Besides, you know all I have to do is breathe and he wants to shove me in there. At least this way I get some satisfaction first.”

At another officer’s command, Kara filed with the others along the walkway and down the stairs to the shower room where she stripped out of her clothes to walk, naked as the day she was born and a hell of a lot more confident, into a stall. She was aware of the eyes on her, some fearful, some lascivious and she took her time, enjoying the hot water as it ran down her face, and over her breasts and muscular stomach.

“Zorel!” Kara was pulled out of her thoughts by one of the female officers standing by the door with a radio in her hand. “The new warden wants to see you!”

The blonde stepped out of the stall, soap bubbles running down her body, and perched her hands on her hips as she faced the young officer and dripped on the floor. “Should I go like this?” she asked and a round of laughter from the other inmates echoed through the room.

The officer rolled her eyes and blushed a little. “After breakfast,” she clarified. “Now hurry up, all of you. Time’s almost up.”

Twenty minutes later, Kara was in line for breakfast and she sighed as she received a big scoop of sloppy oatmeal, four strips of bacon and two slices of buttered toast. “Meal fit for a queen,” she muttered as she went to join her crew at their usual table. Her lieutenant brought her coffee and was rewarded with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Sue.”

“You’re welcome, Boss,” the Latina replied as she took her own seat and eyed her breakfast with disdain. “I hate oatmeal day.”

“Every day is oatmeal day,” Kara pointed out.

“Exactly,” Sue clarified.

The blonde chuckled softly. “Well, apparently I’m meeting with the new warden today. I’ll tell him about our little oatmeal problem, shall I?”

“What happened to Warden Edge?” Andrea, a tall red-head and former rival of Kara’s, asked.

“Shanked over in D block,” Megan commented. “I heard he just decided to retire.”

Kara’s blue eyes focused on her friend. “Who did that?” she asked, her face darkening.

“Uh… sorry, not sure,” the older woman replied. “But I’ll try to find out.”

“Thanks,” the blonde replied with a nod. She went back to her oatmeal and then assembled a bacon sandwich, smiling gratefully but turning down the offers of extra bacon from her crew. She was chewing contentedly when a petite blonde nervously approached the table.

“Um… Miss Kara?”

Kara stopped chewing and swallowed slowly, her eyes lifting to meet the newcomer’s. “Whatcha want, Kid?” she growled, trying to hold her scowl as Megan snickered and covered her mouth to hide it.

“I just wanted to say thank you.”

Kara leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “For what?” she asked.

The girl pushed up the sleeve of her overalls to show the crew leader her inner arm. Healed track marks scarred her skin, but she smiled broadly. “I’m clean six months today,” she said. “Thanks to you.”

Kara’s face gentled as she felt her older friend’s hand land on her thigh under the table and squeeze gently. “Great job, Kid,” she said with a little smile. “Now get the hell outta my face.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the girl grinned, and she scooted back between the tables to rejoin her friends.

Kara watched her go and then picked up her sandwich again to take a bite. She thought about the long couple of days when she’d held the kid close every chance she could get, as she went through the worst of her withdrawal. No one knew about it but Megan. “Sue,” she said after a minute. “No one touches that kid.”

“You got it, Boss.”

The crew leader nodded and finished her sandwich washing it down with coffee as she watched the officer from the shower room cross the room to her table. “Prisoner Zorel, come with me please. We’re going to see the warden.”

“Cool,” Kara replied as she got up and dusted the crumbs off the front of her overalls. “Lead the way.” The officer rolled her eyes and waved her hand, indicating that Kara should walk ahead of her. “They’re so paranoid, aren’t they?” the prisoner commented, making her friends laugh as she walked ahead of Officer Jones and headed out of the cafeteria.

Xx

Kara sat slouched in an orange, plastic chair inside the waiting area of the warden’s office as Officer Jones paced slowly back and forth. She tapped her foot impatiently as she looked at the clock on the wall and then stared back at the floor. She’d been there almost thirty minutes and she was feeling pretty pissed off. Just then, the door of the waiting room opened, and then closed and soft footsteps made their way across the floor. A murmur of voices caught her ear. Then a pair of feet in low-heeled boots stopped in her line of sight and a gentle clearing of throat made her look up. “Miss Zorel, I’m Warden Alex Danvers. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. I had something to deal with that couldn’t wait.”

Kara straightened in her chair and met a pair of compassionate brown eyes set into a beautiful face framed by shoulder-length, brown hair that glowed with a reddish tint in the sunlight. She swallowed as she slowly stood and held out her hand. “Hello, Warden.”

Warden Danvers was shorter than Kara’s tall frame by a couple of inches and was barely a couple of years older than her, but her commanding presence seemed to fill the room. She was dressed in a pair of khaki cargo pants, a white shirt, open a few buttons at her throat, and a black leather jacket fitted to her slender form. She reached out to shake the prisoner’s hand firmly, then opened her office door and invited Kara to enter in front of her. “Please.” Then she smiled at Officer Jones. “I can take it from here.”

Kara strolled into the office, looking around and chuckling softly as she took in the tasteful decor. Alex raised an eyebrow at her as she closed the door and rounded her desk to take a seat in her high-backed leather chair. She took her jacket off and tossed it onto the nearby armchair, revealing tanned forearms below rolled up sleeves. “Something funny?” she asked with a good-natured grin.

“Uh… sorry, no…” Kara replied, clearing her throat softly as she sat in the guest chair. “It’s just that, the last time I was in here, it was painted grey and the walls and shelves were covered with golf trophies and animal heads and shit. This is soooo much better. Nicer things to look at while I’m getting yelled at.”

Alex laughed melodiously and leaned on her forearms with her fingers laced together. “Yeah, my predecessor left me with quite a lot to redecorate. The animal heads were the first to go... AND the good news is that I didn’t ask you here to yell at you. I just wanted to meet you.” She rummaged in a drawer for a moment to pull out a file, which she dropped on her desk and then opened, leafing through the pages until she found the one she wanted. Kara waited, fingers tapping the arm of her chair as her knee bounced. “Ok,” Alex went on. “Kara Zorel. Three years for second degree robbery, first offense. Served… eleven months so far?” She lifted her eyebrows in question and the prisoner nodded. “Pretty long eleven months, I would imagine?” Kara nodded again. Alex’s eyes scanned over the next page in the file. “Also, a pretty long list of altercations during those past eleven months, Miss Zorel.”

“Call me Kara,” Kara spoke up, surprising even herself, and Alex smiled back at her.

“You’re the leader of the Hornets, right?”

“Yeah,” the blonde replied with a shrug.

“And how did that happen, Kara...” She looked down at the file and pursed her lips. “... only four months after you got here?”

Kara leaned forward in her chair and locked eyes with the warden, a little smirk twisting her lips. “I didn’t like the way my predecessor decorated her office,” she replied, tone very serious. “So, I did something about it.”

Alex leaned back in her chair and laced her fingers across her stomach. “I see. And what was it you did?”

“Got rid of the animal heads.” But this time Kara’s face was serious, and Alex sensed the meaning behind the words. She lifted her eyebrows in question and Kara inhaled deeply. “Look, Warden Danvers,” she said. “I may be just a prisoner, but I firmly believe that the women here have a hard-enough time of it without having to deal with drugs being pushed on them and it was my predecessor doing the pushing. I dealt with her after she tried to push that shit on me and now, I do NOT allow drugs in my block.”

“Your block...” Alex repeated, not accusing, just interested.

“Yes.”

“So, you’re controlling the flow of drugs.”

“I STOPPED the flow of drugs, when your officers couldn’t… or wouldn’t.”

Blue eyes challenged brown for a long moment. Alex didn’t back down, but she did nod and let a smile touch her eyes. “I’m impressed… but you know I can’t exactly reward you for doing the right thing.”

Kara’s shoulders squared as she held eye contact with the brunette. “Warden Danvers, seeing those women... who used to be so strung out they couldn’t remember their own names... clean, is the greatest reward anyone could give me.”

“Why?” Alex asked softly. “Why does it mean so much to you?”

Kara slowly pulled up the left sleeve of her overalls and showed the brunette the scars on her inner arm. “Because I used to be one of them. My parents died in a fire when I was thirteen and I ended up in the system. A dealer pushed that shit on me when I was only fourteen, but I eventually got to a foster family that helped me, got me out, and I’ve been clean since. I want to pay it forward.”

The warden sucked in a breath. “Ok,” she said pensively. “Kara, would you be willing to tell me how you managed to eradicate drugs from B block?”

“Why?” the blonde asked suspiciously.

“Because I want to clean up this entire wing and then I want to expand it to other blocks and other wings until this entire prison is drug free.”

Kara chuckled and crossed her arms as she slouched back. “You certainly dream big, Warden.” Then she nodded slowly. “I can control the flow because the Hornets control the block. I’m not sure how we could do that in other areas that don’t have a Hornet presence.”

“We?” Alex interjected with a big smile. “So, you’re interested in trying?”

The prisoner sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m interested in trying but on one condition.”

“Which is?” Alex asked warily.

“Can we please have something other than oatmeal for breakfast. It’s EVERY DAMN DAY.”

The warden laughed in surprise and nodded. “I think I can probably look into that.”

Xx

“The new warden is a woman?” Megan said, surprise coloring her tone.

“Yeah,” Kara replied as she settled herself on her back and bench pressed a little more weight than normal.

Megan hovered over her, ready to act if it became too much. “What’s she like?”

“Young, friendly.” Kara chuckled then. “Super-hot. She asked for my help getting rid of drugs from the prison in general.”

“The leader of the Hornets and the Warden, teaming up, eh? What did you say?”

Kara racked the bar and sat up. “I said yes, on the condition that we get something new for breakfast.”

“And were you serious? Not about the oatmeal but about working with her,” the older woman asked. “You know you’ll get backlash for it.”

Kara sighed softly as she rotated the ache out of her shoulders. “Yeah, I know,” she said. “But I’ll handle it.” She paused thoughtfully, eyes far away. “Megan, there was just something about her. She was respectful toward me, none of the usual bluster bullshit the old warden and the officers use. She seemed sincere.”

“You know she won’t last long with round-eyed optimism like that,” Megan pointed out, running her hand through her curly brown hair. “She’s obviously just not jaded yet.”

Kara was about to answer when she suddenly got the feeling she was being watched. Her eyes lifted and she scanned the bar-covered windows of the administration building right behind them to find a pair of brown eyes looking back. To her surprise, the warden lifted her hand and waved a greeting to her.

Megan followed the blonde’s line of sight and blinked. “Is that her?”

Kara lifted her hand in acknowledgement as she nodded. “Yeah, that’s her.” She got up and went to the heavy bag, pulling a pair of well-worn gloves on and then going to town on it, punching and kicking until she was drenched with sweat and finishing with a spinning round-house kick that almost knocked the bag’s frame over.

The older prisoner chuckled. “She’s still watching you.”

Kara grinned evilly. “Should I take off my shirt and give her something to really look at?”

“You baaaaad girl,” Megan laughed. “So, so bad.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Building trust...

It was three weeks later and early evening. Kara had just finished dinner and made her way to the large common area for the scheduled weekly movie night. She claimed chairs for herself and Megan, halfway down the room in a good spot to view the screen. Other prisoners, who filed in behind her, knew better than to sit near her and chose other rows to settle into while the Hornets filled up most of their leader’s row.

The room turned noisy but, as Kara was chatting with Sue, she realized that the volume was waning, and she looked up front to see two officers holding their hands up. “Prisoners!” Mr. Henshaw yelled. “Let’s have some quiet.” The women stopped talking and looked at him expectantly. “Ladies, before we start the movie, our new warden wants to address you.”

The double doors at the back of the room opened and the prisoners whispered to each other as a woman confidently walked to the front of the room.

“You weren’t kidding,” Megan whispered to Kara. “She’s gorgeous. I’d do her... if I was into all that.”

“I know, right?” the blonde chuckled.

Warden Danvers had a radio in her hand, and she turned it off before tucking it into her back pocket and taking a settling breath. “Ladies,” she began. “Thanks for being patient with me. Since I took this job, I’ve been challenged by getting to know the ins and outs of this prison and I’ve had a steep learning curve. My biggest regret is not making the time to talk to you sooner.”

Alex smiled as she looked around the room. “I’m assuming that you have questions about me so let me fill you in. My name is Alex Danvers and I was born and raised here in California in a little town called Midvale.” A whoop sounded out and she laughed softly. “Another Midvale girl?” she asked, and the prisoner raised her hand and waved. “Cool. So... I’ve been working for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for almost thirteen years now. I started as a corrections officer at the California State Men’s Correctional Facility in the Security Housing Unit… maximum security,” she clarified as blank faces looked back at her. Mr. Henshaw shifted in place. Even HE seemed impressed with that. “Fast forward and now I’m the new warden here.”

She shoved her hands into her pockets and started to stroll down the center aisle of the large space. “Part of my steep learning curve stems from my never having met my predecessor, nor did I meet the deputy warden who left shortly before I arrived. I’ll be choosing my own deputy but, in the meantime, I’m working through a review of all of the procedures under which we operate.” She reached the row Kara was sitting in and smiled at her as their eyes met. “And at the behest of Miss Zorel here, I’ll be reviewing the menu to see if we can improve on the oatmeal that you all seem to loathe.”

A cheer went up around the room and Kara’s friends patted her on the back as she kept her eyes locked on Alex’s.

“I’ll also be working with her on some other improvement initiatives over the next while.” The warden found it difficult to tear her eyes away from the stunning blue pinning her in place, but she finally swallowed and looked away. “Anyway... I’m not going to eat into any more of your movie time. I just wanted to introduce myself and to tell you that you’ll be seeing a lot more of me. Thanks.”

Alex turned to leave but Kara suddenly stood up. “Warden Danvers!” she called, and the brunette turned back, eyebrows raised. “Would you like to join us for the movie?”

“Zorel,” Mr. Henshaw warned, taking a few steps closer to her but Alex signaled him to back off.

“What movie is it?” she asked curiously.

“Something horror,” the blonde replied with a shrug.

The warden thought about it for a moment. “Is there popcorn?”

Kara reached under her chair and pulled out a family sized bag she’d bought from the commissary earlier in the day, holding it up and rattling it. “I’ll share.”

Alex nodded, eyes twinkling. “It’s pretty full in here. Is there room for me in your row?” Kara lifted an eyebrow at her crew then and in unison, the women all got up and moved down one seat, leaving the seat next to their leader free. The warden’s smile broadened, and she made her way along the row to drop into the seat next to the prisoner she was starting to trust. “Thanks for doing that,” she said very quietly. “I know that claiming me won’t do you any favors.”

Kara looked down for a moment, surprised that the warden understood what she was doing so clearly and then looked at the brunette seriously. “I want you to be safe when you come in here,” she said simply.

The blonde glanced at Megan who nodded. “The Hornets will look out for you now. Warden,” she said.

Alex leaned across Kara to hold out her hand to the older woman. “Hi,” she said. “Alex Danvers. Nice to meet you.”

“Megan Mores,” Megan replied with a smile as they shook. “Good to meet you too, Warden.”

The lights went down then and Alex settled back into her chair, grinning as Kara opened the popcorn and set it unceremoniously into her lap. “Good of you to offer,” she said. “But you don’t have to.”

“I have more back in my cell,” Kara replied with a shrug. “Help yourself. Sorry if it’s stale. We tend to get the leftovers around here.” For a moment, she thought she saw something akin to sadness flash in the warden’s eyes, but Alex just nodded and stuck her hand into the bag to grab a handful.

The movie was pretty good, Kara had to admit, and she laughed softly when Alex jumped, and her hands fisted at a particularly scary scene. She leaned over and stroked the brunette’s hand with her fingertips, whispering in her ear with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” For a moment, the warden froze, and she pulled her hand back in surprise. Kara’s smile fell and she shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “That was totally out of line, Warden.”

For a moment, Alex stayed still but then she slowly let out a breath and looked at the contrite prisoner. “It’s ok,” she said softly. “I just forgot for a second that we’re both human beings. I was deputy warden at a men’s prison in Iowa where I couldn’t move around without having an armed escort. Sometimes, it’s hard to get that out of my head.”

They were quiet then as they finished the rest of the movie but, as Kara went for some popcorn, Alex did too, and their hands touched again. This time Alex didn’t pull away though and they just exchanged a little smile.

It was almost nine when the credits rolled, and the lights came up, making everyone wince in the sudden brightness. Alex stood up and stretched her arms over her head to loosen her back. Then she looked at her watch, noting the time. “This was fun,” she said, mindful of Mr. Henshaw coming toward her. “How often do you do this?”

“This night every week,” Kara replied. “If the projector cooperates.”

“Huh.” The warden nodded. “Save me a seat for next week. I’ll be here if nothing pressing comes up.”

The prisoner chuckled. “No significant other to go home to?” she teased.

“Goodnight, Kara,” Alex replied with a little smile. Then she waved to Megan and to the rest of the Hornets as she headed out.

“I like her,” Megan stated, folding her arms.

“Me too,” Sue replied as she sidled closer to them.

“Me three,” Kara added softly as she watched the warden leave the room. “Sue...”

The Latina grinned. “We already got it, Boss. No one touches the warden.”

Xx

A knock at her door startled Alex out of her musings as she looked through her staff’s personnel files. There was a lot of experience among the group and she found that making a decision on a deputy warden was going to be difficult. She was leaning toward Henshaw, but something was niggling at her about him and she decided to wait a little longer.

“Come on in,” she said, lifting her eyes and running her hand through her hair.

“Warden, sorry for the intrusion,” Officer Jones said as she stood nervously in front of her boss’s desk. “Can I talk to you?”

“Of course, have a seat,” Alex said, indicating one of her guest chairs. The young woman nodded and sat down, wringing her fingers together. The warden’s face gentled as she took in the woman’s body language. “What’s wrong, Joanne?” she asked after a moment.

“I... I need to ask for a transfer.”

Alex’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Well... ok, sure... but can I ask why?”

The young woman swallowed and looked down. “I’m... I‘m pregnant,” she replied, a small smile on her lips. “Only two months, but my husband really wants me to move into something less stressful. You see, we’ve had three miscarriages and...” She stopped as tears welled in her eyes.

Alex got up and circled her desk to sit next to the officer, putting a hand on her forearm. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “And of course, I’ll approve a transfer. Do you have something in mind?”

“Just something at a desk until after the baby’s born?”

Alex nodded as she thought about that. “Well,” she said. “As everyone can see when they come to my office, I have no assistant yet. It wouldn’t be very exciting, just answering phones, documentation, managing my schedule etcetera, but it’d be a desk job and wouldn’t be too stressful...” She rolled her eyes. “Hopefully.”

Jones grinned. “Sounds perfect,” she replied. “When can I start?”

“Uh...” Alex scratched her jaw. “Tomorrow? Let’s just leave everything as is with your contract. That way, when you’re ready, you can go back to being an officer.”

“Thank you, Warden!” the young woman exclaimed as she pulled Alex in for a hug.

“Oh... uh...” The warden laughed as she returned the embrace. “You’re welcome, Joanne.”

“Call me JJ,” Jones replied. “Everyone else does.”

Xx

Kara was aching from her morning workout and she wandered into her cell to clean up at her tiny sink. Megan was sitting on her bed and the blonde lifted an eyebrow at her. “Something wrong?”

“Warden Danvers.”

Kara nodded. “What about her?”

“You tell me.” Megan folded her arms across her chest.

The blonde’s brows drew together in confusion. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“You’ve been going to her office at least once a week and I saw you cozying up to her last night during the movie.”

Kara blinked and then laughed. “Come on!” she exclaimed, shaking her head. “You know we’ve been working together on the plan to get rid of drugs… and last night, we shared some popcorn and a tiny bit of conversation! Totally not a big deal!”

“But you like her,” the older woman prompted.

“Yes, I like her,” the blonde nodded. “She’s cool.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Kara’s face sobered as she finished drying off and tossed her towel onto her bed. “How about we don’t continue this conversation.”

“Kara...”

Kara turned and shook her head. “I’m going to get some coffee.” She walked quickly out of her cell and headed for the cafeteria, disquiet in the pit of her stomach but, distracted as she was, she didn’t see the tray coming right for her face as she maneuvered around the tables heading for the coffee machine. The blow made her stagger back, but she didn’t go down and she immediately turned to face her attacker, who was now looking nervously back at her. Kara slowly licked blood from her upper lip and her blue eyes glittered like ice chips. “Well, well, well,” she said, resisting the urge to wipe the involuntary tears from her eyes. She blinked rapidly instead and then straightened. “Someone grew a pair of balls.”

Her assailant’s friends slowly backed away, leaving her, a heavyset older woman with short cropped hair, to stand alone. “Traitor,” the woman spat, and Kara tilted her head in question. “We saw you taking the warden’s side. We know that the Hornets have been told to protect her. But she can’t be protected, Zorel, because you can’t watch her every moment of every day.”

A part of Kara acknowledged that as the truth, but she just smiled grimly. “Warden Danvers is going to do a lot for this facility,” she replied. “And you know as well as I do that things need to improve. Now…” She took a step toward the woman, satisfied when she backed up in response. “Since your little friends have abandoned you, I’m going to do you a favor and NOT kick your shit into next month. But...” Her voice lowered to a threatening growl. “I can’t say the same for my crew, so WATCH YOUR BACK. Now get the fuck out of here.”

She watched the woman as she strode back out of the cafeteria and then sagged against a table, probing her nose and wincing with pain. “Fuck,” she cursed softly, then straightened to go find an officer to escort her to the infirmary. “Excuse me, Mr. Henshaw,” she said as she approached him, careful to keep her distance.

“Christ, what happened to you, Zorel?” he asked as he turned and looked her over. 

“I slipped,” Kara replied. “I think my nose is broken.”

The big man crossed his arms and looked skeptically at her. “I see... and did someone happen to make you... slip?”

“No, Sir. Did it all on my own.”

Henshaw sighed. “You know I’ll have to report this.”

“Do what you need to do, Sir.”

Henshaw took out his radio. “Unit two, bringing Prisoner Zorel to the infirmary for treatment. I need cover for corridors six and seven.”

After a moment another voice came through. “Unit four, I’ll cover those corridors for you.”

“Acknowledged,” Henshaw finished. He stuck the radio back on his belt and indicated for Kara to walk ahead. “Let’s get you looked at.”

It took a while for the medic to reset her nose and clean her up. He tried to give her some painkillers with a cup of water, but she shook her head. “No drugs. An ice pack will do. Thanks.”

“Sure?” he asked, surprised.

“She’s sure,” a new voice said and they both looked at the door to find Warden Danvers leaning against the jamb with her arms crossed.

“Warden,” the man said as Alex approached them. “Prisoner Zorel broke her nose.”

“So I see,” the brunette replied. “Can you give us the room please, Paul?”

“Sure.” The man pulled off his nitrile gloves and tossed them into the trash can as he headed out of the room.

“A personal visit, huh? I’m honored,” Kara joked as Alex moved closer and gently grasped her chin to tilt her head one way and then the other.

“He did a good job setting it,” the warden said, ignoring the blonde’s teasing. Then she sighed and crossed her arms, visibly upset. “Who did this to you, Kara?”

“I…” Kara looked away. She found that she couldn’t look at the brunette’s eyes and lie to her. “I slipped.”

“Bullshit,” Alex replied succinctly.

The prisoner lifted her chin a little. “I slipped.”

“Right,” the warden replied on a long breath. She turned away for a moment in exasperation, hands perched on her hips, and then came back, reaching out to let her hand rest on Kara’s forearm. “Just… please tell me one thing?” The blonde waited, blue eyes warily watching the warden “Was it because of what you did for me last night?”

Kara swallowed and looked away again and it was all the answer Alex needed. She frowned and shook her head. “Maybe this was a bad idea,” she muttered.

“What?” Kara’s eyes widened. “What does that mean?”

The brunette looked down, running both of her hands through her hair. “It means that maybe I shouldn’t have involved you in this. Maybe I’m just too fucking idealistic for my own good… and yours.” She shook her head and walked away a few steps, then she turned back. “I didn’t want you to get hurt, Kara.”

She turned to walk away again but Kara went after her. “Wait... Warden… Warden Danvers… ” The brunette kept walking and the prisoner resorted to grabbing her hand and pulling her to a stop. “ALEX!” she exclaimed, the name slipping out without her even realizing it. “Stop. Wait. Just… look… a broken nose is NOTHING.” She lifted her shirt to expose a long thin scar that etched jaggedly across her abs and the warden sucked in a shocked breath. “I’ve survived MUCH worse. I believe in trying to clean this hell hole up. But I can’t do it alone… and YOU can’t do it alone either.” Kara gentled her tone and blew out a long breath. “The officers can’t be trusted… especially Henshaw... and I don’t want YOU getting hurt any more than you do me.”

For a very long moment, Alex just stared at the prisoner, their eyes locked on each other as the rest of the room faded out. “You called me Alex,” she finally said very softly.

Kara’s breath caught and she took a step back, dropping the brunette’s hand with a shake of her head. “I’m sorry, Warden.”

“It’s ok,” Alex replied, feeling the loss of the prisoner’s touch. “But only when we’re alone, ok?” Kara nodded and the warden went to sit on the edge of the infirmary bed. “Now tell me what you mean about the officers and Henshaw not being trustworthy.”

Kara sat next to her and took a breath to settle herself. “We’ve been going through some of the steps I took to clean up this block,” she said. “But one thing I left out was that I pressured some of the women into telling me where they got the drugs from and they named Henshaw and some of the other officers. Alex, the officers rotate in and out of different blocks so who’s to say they’re not selling in other blocks or wings. I don’t have enough visibility into it to know for sure.” She paused then and met the warden’s eyes squarely. “Also, I had my crew do some digging and the word on D block is that your predecessor was shanked at the request of an officer. I couldn't get any more than that but maybe Edge stumbled across something he wasn’t supposed to know about.”

“Shit,” Alex exhaled. “Kara, why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

The blonde lifted her eyes to meet Alex’s. “Because,” she replied softly. “I wasn’t sure yet if I could trust you.”

The warden nodded slowly. “Honestly, I wasn’t either, Kara, but now...”

“So, the best way to the warden’s heart is through popcorn, huh?” Kara teased with a grin.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Alex replied indignantly.

“I know, I know,” the prisoner laughed, holding up her hands and then wincing as her nose crackled with pain. “I’m an asshole.”

But Alex tilted her head and flashed a gorgeous smile. “Actually, I don’t think you are.” She took a breath as the prisoner blushed a little. “What did you do to land yourself in here, Kara?”

Blue eyes lifted. “Nothing,” the blonde replied softly. The warden lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms. The prisoner shrugged. “That’s actually true,” she said flatly. “My girlfriend proposed to me one night over dinner with a really nice diamond ring, but the band was a little too big, so I took it to a jeweler to get it resized. Next thing I know there are cops on my doorstep. Turns out that the ring was part of a stash stolen from some billionaire’s wife. I don’t know if my ex was involved in the robbery or whether she bought it from whomever was… she didn’t stick around to tell me… so I was charged with robbery and… BOOM. Kara now lives in the luxury of Chez Correctional Facility.”

Alex blinked and then blinked again. “Jesus, Kara,” she said. “She didn’t come to bail you out or testify or anything?”

“Nope.” The prisoner shrugged. “I only got three years because it was my first _offense _.” She made air quotes. “And I was lucky because apparently, it was a REALLY fucking expensive ring and someone had to take the fall.”__

____

____

Alex shook her head disbelievingly. “I’m… floored,” she said.

“I hope your other half treats you better than that,” the prisoner said with a chuckle.

“I’d hope so too, if I had one,” Alex shrugged. She got up and rubbed her hands up and down the sides of her thighs. “But I don’t.”

“Thank you, Alex,” Kara said softly after a moment, a smile tugging at her lips.

“For what?” the warden asked, frowning in confusion.

“That’s the first piece of truly personal information you’ve shared with me. It made me feel… normal.”

“Oh,” Alex exhaled. “Well… trust is earned, and you’ve earned it.” She looked a little uncomfortable for a moment. “And on that note,” she chuckled. “I should get going. Take care of that nose,” she said then as she turned and left the infirmary. She paused to exchange a few words with the medic outside and then glanced back at Kara with a grin before going on her way.

The man reentered the room and went to Kara whose heart was thumping in her chest in reaction to the warden’s parting look. “Uh… Prisoner Zorel,” he said slowly. “Warden Danvers told me to ask you if you like Jell-O and if you do, to give you two to take with you.”

Kara’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and she laughed softly. “I love Jell-O,” she replied. “Thanks.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henshaw is starting shit...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this part worked out shorter than the rest!

It was just less than a week later when Alex saw Kara again. She was standing at the window of her office looking out over the exercise yard when she saw the women from B block spill out into the warm air, tossing a basketball between them. They started a game, pushing and teasing each other good-naturedly and the warden smiled as she saw Kara, nose obviously healing, come jogging out to stand in the middle of them, laughing as she tossed her blonde hair back and then stole the ball to leap high into the air and slam dunk a basket.

The prisoner’s shirt rode up as she jumped, and Alex’s heart skipped a beat as she remembered what those abs looked like and the scar that marred them. She took a breath… then slowly blew it out as she left the window and took a seat at her desk, eyes closed as she tried to think about something other than what it might feel like to run her tongue over those muscles.

“Warden?” JJ stuck her head in the door and Alex startled enough to knock a mug of pens over. The young woman chuckled and held up her hands. “Sorry, I scared you,” she said. “Mr. Henshaw is here. He wanted to see if he could get a few moments with you.”

“Uh… right… sure,” the brunette replied as she took a breath and nodded. “Come on in, Hank!” she called, and the tall, black man made his way into the room to sit in her guest chair. Alex took a moment to settle herself as she stuck the pens back into the now righted mug.

“Warden,” Henshaw said, his deep voice echoing slightly in the room. “I need to talk to you about Prisoner Zorel.”

Alex’s face remained impassive, but she leaned forward onto her forearms. “What about her?”

He let out an aggrieved sigh and shook his head. “I overheard two prisoners talking earlier. Apparently, she’s put a hit out on you.”

The warden’s eyebrows lifted, and she slowly leaned back to lace her hands over her stomach. “Why?” she asked.

Henshaw blinked, clearly not expecting the question. “What do you mean why? You’re the warden and the Hornets hate officers and wardens. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was them who shanked your predecessor.”

Alex nodded. “I’ll deal with this, Hank. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.”

“But…” he began but the brunette shook her head.

“I’ll deal with it,” she said very quietly.

Henshaw got up then and nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.” Then he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

Alex waited until he was gone to move out into the waiting room to get her assistant’s attention. “Do I have anything on my schedule for this evening, JJ?” she asked.

“Actually no, Ma’am,” the young woman replied. “I was going to suggest that you could get home early if you wanted to.”

“No, I’ll be down in B block for the rest of the evening. I have a movie night to go to.” Alex popped back into her office to grab her jacket and her radio off the charger. “If you need me in the meantime, give me a call on the radio. If you need me during the movie, call my cell.”

“Of course, Warden,” JJ replied with a smile.

Alex slipped her jacket on and stuck the radio in her back pocket as she headed out. It took about ten minutes to navigate the hallways and when she arrived at the security gate entrance to B block, she stopped and took a breath. It was quiet for a moment but then one by one, the women started to trickle back in from the exercise yard, going their separate ways to clean up in their cells before dinner.

The warden saw Kara pass by and trot up the stairs to the upper level where her cell was, Megan following close behind her, and the attraction she felt toward the blonde prisoner asserted itself once more, making her heart beat faster. Deep down, she knew that Kara hadn’t ordered the hit on her but still, she needed to talk to her to see if they could figure out what Henshaw was up to.

She used her keycard to open the security door and stepped through, taking a deep breath as she suddenly felt vulnerable, but Alex squared her shoulders and settled her veil of confidence as she headed toward the cafeteria. The prisoners saw her come in and whispers moved around the room as she got in line with the other women. She watched trays being slid to the prisoners in front of her but when it was her turn, the tray was practically thrown at her. She caught it with one hand before the meal could spill down her shirt and lifted her eyebrow meaningfully at the server.

The prisoner smirked. “Sorry, it slipped.”

Mmmmhmmm,” the warden replied with a twist of her lips. She picked the tray up and then went to grab some coffee before settling at an empty table and crossing her legs. She examined the tray’s contents and suppressed a grimace as she tasted something that she assumed was supposed to be a meat pie of some sort. Then the chair beside her was pulled out and spun and a woman she didn’t recognize straddled it with her arms crossed on its back. Alex didn’t move, she just kept eating.

“Eating with the grunts, huh?” the woman said with a snide smile.

Alex looked around her and then focused on the woman. “I don’t see any grunts around here,” she said quietly, going back to her meal.

“What are you doing here?”

“I thought that was pretty obvious,” Alex chuckled indicating the tray in front of her. “Plus, I’ve heard the movie tonight is a good one.”

The woman slowly stood up, pushing her chair out of the way and taking a menacing step toward the warden. Across the room, an officer suddenly noticed what was happening and started walking toward them, but Alex held up her hand, indicating for him to stop. The prisoner chuckled. “Not looking for backup then,” she said.

“I don’t need backup,” the warden replied firmly. “I can take care of myself.”

The woman laughed and turned to look at her friends who were standing nearby and chortling amongst themselves but just as quickly, she whipped around and fake-lunged at Alex. In a split second, the warden was up off her chair, hands raised in a martial arts stance and her body centered over the balls of her feet. The prisoner blinked in shock and lifted her hands up in surrender. “Ok, ok, take it easy, Lady.”

Kara, who was just entering the cafeteria, suddenly saw what was happening and she strode across the room, eyes on the prisoner who was threatening her friend. Sue was behind her, but Kara held her hand out and the Latina stopped and just watched. Alex saw her coming, relaxed her stance and crossed her arms. “Oh, I’m fine,” she said. “But I think YOU’RE in trouble.” She pointed her chin at the angry blonde and then sat back down again to fork up some more of the disgusting pie. The prisoner turned and blanched as she realized who was coming at her with laser-focused intent, but the warden spoke up with a tiny headshake. “Miss Zorel, I’d appreciate it if you’d let this woman leave with all her body parts intact.”

It was a compromise, Kara realized as she slowed and came to a stop, crossing her arms. The warden was obviously more than capable of taking care of herself, but she’d also very clearly sent a message that she trusted the leader of the Hornets enough to make her own choices. It made her smile internally behind her scowl and a big part of her wanted to just take Alex into her arms and hold her and… “No promises,” Kara growled but she didn’t harm the woman and instead focused angry blue eyes on her grey. “Leave the warden alone, June.”

The prisoner squared her shoulders but turned without a word and walked back to her friends. They whispered among themselves for a moment and then went back to their usual table. Kara just looked at Alex for a long moment and then sat in the chair next to her. “Alright, Jackie Chan, are you trying to get yourself killed?” she asked, her voice low.

“I’m trying to eat dinner and go to a movie,” the brunette responded. “At the same time as proving that I’m not fucking scared of these women, which I’m not.” She then locked her eyes on nervous blue. “Did you order a hit on me?” she asked forthrightly. Kara’s mouth dropped open; her face stunned. The warden chuckled. “That’s what I thought. Henshaw came to my office earlier and said he’d overheard prisoners talking about it.”

“Well, that’s just stupid,” Kara replied seriously. “If I HAD ordered a hit on you, I wouldn’t have done it where someone could have overheard me.”

Alex almost choked on her mashed potato and she coughed as she tried to stifle a laugh. “Seriously, Miss Zorel,” she said. “Now I know you’re definitely trying to kill me.”

“Warden Danvers,” Kara replied then, sobering. “If Henshaw really did overhear someone talking about a hit on you, then it could be someone else other than me. If he’s lying, he could be planning something to take you out himself and just trying to misdirect you toward me.”

“I did think of all that,” Alex chuckled. “I can take care of myself, but it would be nice to know that at least the Hornets are looking out for me.”

Kara reached out to touch the warden’s hand, but she stopped herself and let out a breath. “Always,” she said. “We have your back.” She frowned then. “Where did you learn that martial arts stuff anyway?”

“Oh… in the army,” Alex shrugged.

“You’re a vet?”

“Yup, served two tours in Iraq between high school and college.”

Kara nodded as she looked around the room. Lots of eyes quickly looked away. Then she focused back on the brunette. “You’re kinda amazing,” she said softly, her gentle smile revealing more of her admiration than she realized.

Alex cleared her throat and swallowed hard. “Thanks,” she replied. “You’re pretty amazing yourself… especially on the basketball court.”

Kara blushed a little and was about to reply when Sue came up and caught her attention. “Kara, you should get something to eat. Line’s almost done.”

“Right,” the blonde replied. “Thanks, Sue.” She got up and pushed her chair back into the table. “I’ll keep you a seat in the common room,” she told Alex and then headed off to the counter to get her tray.

The warden smiled and went back to her dinner. “I really need to do something about this damn menu,” she muttered. “This food is shit.”

Xx

Alex strolled along the corridor toward the commissary and let herself in with her keycard. She grabbed a big bag of popcorn off the shelf and dropped a few dollar bills on the counter before slipping out and heading back toward the common room. She stepped into a cacophony, looking around for the Hornets and spotting them on the opposite side of the room. Kara looked toward the door and stood with a smile but, as Alex started walking, the blonde’s face fell and she suddenly started moving, leaping over her chair into the row behind her and shoving women out of her way, Sue right on her heels.

At first, the warden was confused as she was surrounded by bodies, circling her and brushing against her from all sides. Then a sudden, sharp pain took her breath away. The bodies cleared and she looked down to find a red stain slowly spreading across her abdomen through her shirt. She clutched the wound, blood seeping out through her fingers as she looked back up. Kara reached her and caught Alex in her arms as her knees unlocked. The blonde eased them both to the floor, cradling her in her lap, frightened eyes pinned on Alex’s brown. “Fuck,” the warden murmured. “I was…” She winced with pain but then offered her friend a little grin. “Distracted by your beautiful smile.”

Kara stroked the brunette’s face, tears welling in her eyes. “You’re alright…” she said softly. “It’s just a scratch. Stay with me. You’re going to be ok. Don’t leave me, ok?” The warden groaned as she felt more pressure on the wound, and she looked down to find Kara’s hand on top of hers pressed against it. “Someone help her!” the blonde yelled and two officers skidded to a stop beside her to pull Alex out of her arms and settle her on the floor to begin triaging her. “Alex…” Kara whispered. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry...”

And then Megan’s arms were around her from behind, holding her close against her chest as the blonde struggled. “Kara…” she said firmly. “It’s going to be ok. She’ll be ok.”

Kara closed her eyes and sagged against her friend, praying to God that what Megan said was true. She couldn’t lose Alex now… she’d just found her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of forward motion…

It was six weeks since Warden Danvers had been shivved and Kara had been on a rampage trying to find out who’d done it. She knew it was June and her friends, but they weren't talking and despite a few beatings, none of them gave the actual attacker up.

So, Kara decided to take more drastic measures. She was sitting at a table in the exercise yard with her crew when she got their attention in a low voice. “I need you guys to make a rope,” she said quietly. “And then bring June to me. I’ll hang her to get the information if I have to.”

Megan blinked in dismay but waited until the other Hornets had left before she shifted closer to her friend and met her eyes. “Don’t do this. This is NOT you.”

“I have to find out who did this to her,” the blonde replied, her voice raspy with upset.

“Kara,” the dark-skinned woman replied with a smile. “Do you think she’d want this?” Blue eyes lifted in surprise. “You’re barely sleeping or eating. You’re obsessed with finding out who stabbed her…” She looked down. “I... I know you care for each other and Warden Danvers wouldn’t want this for you. Let it go. Let the police do their job.”

For a long moment, Megan thought that Kara might turn her down but very slowly, her blonde head lowered to rest on her arms, crossed on the tabletop. “Not knowing how she is... it’s killing me,” she admitted. “The officers won’t tell me anything.”

“I know, Sweetheart,” the older woman replied as she gently stroked her friend's hair.

“Um, I… I think I might be in love with her.”

“Kara, you ARE.” Megan smiled. “That much is obvious to me.”

“I didn’t plan this,” Kara murmured, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. “I couldn’t stop it.”

“Oh, Baby Girl,” the older woman chuckled. “That’s what falling in love IS. It’s a train rushing headlong down a track that’s so determined to make its destination that it ain’t got no mind for brakes.”

The blonde grinned and nodded. “Yeah, that’s pretty much how I feel.” She took a breath then. “Can you please tell the crew to forget about June for now? I’m gonna try to get some sleep.”

“You got it,” Megan replied, and she smiled as she watched the crew leader head back into their block.

Kara was halfway up the stairs to the upper level when Officer Benedict called to her from below. “Prisoner Zorel, Warden Danvers wants to see you!”

The blonde froze and then slowly came back down to meet him. “She’s... she’s here?”

“Yeah, got here a few minutes ago. First day back, why?”

Kara grinned widely. “Just glad she’s ok.” She turned and walked ahead of the officer, reminding herself to slow her steps, even though she just wanted to run to Alex’s office and into her arms.

JJ smiled at her as she entered the waiting room and indicated the inner door to her. “Go on in, she’s expecting you.”

Kara moved to the door and tapped lightly before opening it and stepping into the office. Alex was sitting at her desk, her eyes moving over her phone’s screen intently. The blonde’s breath was taken away.

Alex was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

“Warden Danvers,” she said softly, and Alex’s head snapped up, a wide smile immediately lighting up her face. “You want to see me?”

“Yeah...” the brunette replied as she put down her phone, got up and rounded her desk to sit against its edge. “I really do.” She glanced out into the waiting room. “Close the door please?”

Kara did as she was asked and then her feet carried her across the room as their eyes met and held. “Are you ok?” she asked. “They wouldn’t tell me anything.” She was itching to touch the warden, but she held herself back and just looked her over instead, her breath hitching. She looked back into the brunette’s eyes. “I... missed you.”

“I’m ok… and I’m so sorry.” The warden’s voice was pained. “I didn’t know how to send word without raising suspicion.”

But to Alex’s surprise, Kara laid her hand very gently over her freshly healed wound site. “I was so scared,” the blonde admitted. “I tried to hold pressure... to stop the bleeding.”

“I know,” Alex smiled. “I remember everything that happened.” She straightened and took a half step forward, reducing the distance between them and guiltily enjoying Kara’s hand as it pressed a little harder. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the look on your face when you realized I was in danger. I saw you trying to get to me, Kara.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Thank you.”

Kara could hardly breathe and, when Alex’s eyes lowered slowly to her lips and then back up, she could barely stifle the whimper that threatened to expose her desire. “You’re welcome,” she murmured instead and made herself take a step back. She needed the distance.

Alex swallowed hard and then slowly sat back on the edge of the desk again. “How have things been here?” she asked.

Settling herself a little, Kara took a seat in the closest guest chair and laced her fingers over her stomach. “I’ve been trying to figure out who it was that shivved you,” she said unhappily. “But I couldn’t. Megan finally told me to stop this morning. She said I was a little... obsessed.”

“She’s the only one who gets to boss the leader of the Hornets around, huh?” the warden teased with a little grin.

“Well,” Kara replied with a little laugh. “There MIGHT be one other person...” Alex pointed at herself and lifted her eyebrows in question. Kara grinned and then nodded.

The warden sobered then. “So...” she said. “In addition to just wanting to see you, I also wanted to talk to you about something and…” She sighed heavily. “I don’t think you’ll like it.” She took the second guest chair and leaned on its arm. “I want to send another message, Kara. A message that says I’m still unafraid. And I deliberately chose today as my first day back because… I want to go back to movie night tonight.”

Kara’s mouth dropped open and she shook her head hard. “Are you fucking insane?” she asked incredulously before she could censor herself. “Seriously, Alex?”

“Kara...” Alex held up her hand, but the prisoner didn’t stop.

“You seriously want to go back there tonight, where your blood is still in the cracks of that cheap fucking vinyl tile?” The blonde got up and paced agitatedly. “Are you really not scared? Because you should be!”

Alex got annoyed then and she stood up too, facing off against her friend. “Of course, I’m scared,” she exclaimed. “Kara, I’m so scared that I almost didn't come back! I had my letter of resignation typed up and fucking signed!” She ran her hands through her hair. “But I had to come back. I had to come back for myself... for the women...” She paused and her tone gentled. “… for you… I want to go to movie night with you, Kara.”

W-with me...” Kara replied, her tone gentling too. “Whhh-what does that mean?”

Alex closed her eyes briefly and let out a breath. “It means that I missed you too,” she replied, her hand coming up to caress the prisoner’s cheek briefly. Kara leaned into the touch, her eyes closing but then Alex sucked in a breath and drew back, looking away and visibly upset. “I’m sorry,” she said then, shaking her head. “We... we can’t... I’m the warden and...”

“I’m just a prisoner,” Kara finished softly.

But Alex’s eyes snapped back to her and she shook her head. “You’re not... JUST... anything,” she said fiercely. “Kara Zorel, you’re... you’re everything!”

Kara couldn’t stop herself. She moved closer and cupped the brunette’s cheeks between her hands, giving her a moment to pull away if she wanted to but, when Alex just exhaled slightly and her eyes fluttered shut, Kara placed a slow, lingering kiss on her lips. The warden’s hands landed on the blonde’s hips as she leaned closer, not quite returning the kiss but letting her know it wasn’t unwelcome. Then Kara eased back, and tears welled in her blue eyes as she pressed their foreheads together. “I know we can’t,” she whispered. “but I just needed to do that once.”

A gasp-sob wrenched itself from Alex’s throat and she wrapped her arms around Kara’s shoulders, hugging her hard as she nodded against her neck.

“I’ll be waiting at six-fifty-five at the secure door of the administration building to escort you into the common room for the movie,” the blonde added as her arms briefly closed around the warden’s waist and she caressed the small of her back. Then she eased back and erased Alex’s tears with her thumbs. “We’re going to be ok, Alex.”

She turned then and headed back to B block, her heart shattering in her chest with every step.

When she was gone with Officer Benedict, the door crept open again and JJ stuck her head in. “Warden...” but she paused when she saw the tears on Alex’s cheeks. “Are you ok?” she said softly, crossing the room with her hand on her swelling stomach.

“Yeah, sorry,” the warden replied with a watery smile as she wiped her face. “I just owe her my life. She reacted so quickly that day that she stopped me from losing too much blood.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was a version Alex could live with telling.

JJ smiled and nodded. “I’ve known Kara Zorel since she got here and despite all her swagger and scowling, she’s a really good person. She cares almost too much.” She paused then and a little grin twisted her lips. “Anyway, I made sure to clear your evening. It’s movie night, right?”

Alex straightened her shoulders and nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “Yes, JJ, it is indeed.”

Xx

Kara was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling of her cell and counting the cracks in the plaster. It helped to calm her nerves as she thought about Alex walking around amongst the general population that evening. One thing she knew for sure was that she wasn’t going to leave the warden’s side and she’d already given the rest of her crew instructions on protecting the brunette.

Then her mind drifted to the kiss she’d shared with Alex. She could still feel the tingle of it on her lips and she smiled a little. Even though she and Alex couldn’t be together, at least she knew she wasn’t the only one who wanted there to be an _us_.

“Kara,” Megan said as she stuck her head into the cell. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” Kara replied on a long breath as she sat up. “Warden Danvers is back. She’s ok and we talked.”

“And how did that go?” Megan chuckled.

“Well… I… I kissed her.”

The older woman straightened in surprise. “You did? Wow, ballsy. How did she react? Was she mad?

The blonde shook her head and grinned widely. “Well, she kinda cried and hugged me, so I don’t think she was mad.” Her smile faded then. “But we also both know that we can’t be together.”

Megan nodded unhappily. “She could get into a lot of serious trouble, Sweetheart. It would be classed as an abuse of power.”

“I know,” Kara agreed. She got up then and sighed. “I’m fucking terrified about tonight, Megan.”

“She’s ballsy too. She’ll be ok. And the crew will take care of her.”

“I’m going to stay with her the whole time,” Kara said firmly.

“Of course you are,” the older woman chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

Kara blushed a little and grinned sheepishly. “Right.”

“Well, now that you’re calmer…” The older woman smirked meaningfully. “Why don’t we get some lunch? It’s Italian pot slop day.”

Kara laughed softly and got up to put her shoes on. “Yum!”

Xx

It was six-forty-five. Alex quickly checked her hair and makeup in her bathroom mirror before she grabbed her jacket and radio and headed out to B block. She unlocked the secure door with her keycard and stepped through to be suddenly surrounded by the smiling faces of the Hornets. “Welcome back, Warden,’ Sue said with a big grin. “We were so relieved when Kara told us you were ok.”

“Thanks, Miss Vasquez,” Alex replied with a smile of her own, but her eyes moved through the women searching for the one face she longed to see.

“She stopped to get popcorn,” Megan chuckled. “She’ll just be a second.”

“I’m here,” Kara said, stepping into the circle and holding up the bag. “You’re early, Warden Danvers,” she told Alex with a little grin.

“Yeah,” the warden breathed as her eyes moved over the prisoner, whose overall-arms were tied around her slender waist and her muscular arms and shoulders on display thanks to her white tank top. “Didn’t want to miss the beginning of the movie.”

Their eyes met and held, and Kara immediately saw the apprehension there. “Ok, well, let’s get our seats and get settled,” she said. Then she looked at Sue with a raised brow.

“On it,” the Latina replied, and she headed over to the common room door to check inside. Then she nodded and indicated they should all enter.

Kara put her hand at the small of Alex’s back. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” Alex replied as they walked through the door. All conversation in the room suddenly stopped but Alex ignored that and walked with Kara and the other Hornets to a row of empty seats that Andrea had been keeping for them. “Uh… Miss Zorel,” the warden added. “Do you always communicate with a quirk of your eyebrow?”

Kara chuckled as she stepped into the row with Alex and took a seat next to her. “My crew can pretty much read my mind at this point.”

“At least Sue can,” the brunette commented lightly. “She’s very loyal to you.”

The blonde looked over at her lieutenant and nodded. “Susan Vasquez saved my life the day after I arrived here, not knowing my ass from my elbow. I’ve never forgotten that.”

Alex nodded and looked around to see that they were surrounded in front and behind by Hornets. But then the lights went down and the dimness made it difficult to see anything but the projector light shining up onto the big screen in front of them. Alex felt the bag of popcorn drop into her lap and she chuckled as Kara nudged her gently. Then they settled down to watch the movie.

It was a love story, which was neither woman’s favorite genre but, as the story went on, Alex found that it was pretty much torture having Kara next to her without being able to touch her. She rubbed her palms on her thighs and let her hands rest there but she inhaled sharply as she felt a soft caress trace slowly along her little finger. They didn’t look at each other but Alex slowly lifted it and wrapped it around Kara’s which was resting on the very edge of her thigh. It was enough to satisfy both of them and they went back to the movie, barely watching as they just enjoyed being together.

At the end of the movie, the other prisoners got up and filed out, leaving Alex there with Kara while the Hornets stood outside in the corridor. Officer Benedict was hovering at the door, so Alex stuck out her hand. “Miss Zorel, I can’t thank you and your crew enough for tonight,” she said. “I think that message we talked about was successfully sent and I’ll continue to come to movie night as long as I have time.”

“You’re welcome, Warden Danvers,” Kara replied, taking the warden’s hand gently and shaking it, rubbing her thumb over her skin at the same time, out of the view of the officer. “Oh, I wanted to check with you, you said you wanted to catch up with me about how the plans are going for cleaning up the other blocks. Should we meet to discuss it?”

Alex had asked for no such update, but she smiled and nodded. “That’s right. I’ll get Officer Jones to put something on my schedule and let you know. I’m still trying to catch up on everything.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the prisoner nodded. “Would you like me to escort you back to the security door of the admin block?”

“Zorel, it’s ten minutes to nighttime count. Time to get back to your cell,” Benedict interjected. “I’ll make sure the warden gets back safely.”

The blonde nodded and slowly let go of Alex’s hand. “Yes, Mr. Benedict,” she said, looking Alex right in the eyes and willing her to read her mind.

The warden nodded slightly as a little smile graced her lips. “Goodnight, Miss Zorel,” she murmured.

“Goodnight, Warden,” Kara replied. Then with a final smile, she headed out toward her cell.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henshaw continues being a dick, Kara ends up in the infirmary… AGAIN… and Alex admits a truth

“You seriously have to stop,” Megan said as she and Kara sat together at breakfast.

The blonde stopped chewing for a moment and frowned. “Stop what? Eating? I’m just so happy to be having fruit and eggs rather than oatmeal. The warden really came through.”

“I’m not talking about eggs, Girl!” the other woman hissed with an exasperated eye roll. “You have got to stop molesting the warden. People will start to notice.”

“I was not molesting her!” the blonde replied in a low, yet indignant tone.

Megan leaned in to speak right into Kara’s ear. “I was sitting behind you. I saw the pinky sex!” She laughed then and shook her head.

That made the blonde laugh too. “She was nervous. I just wanted to remind her that we all were there for her.”

The older woman nodded. “She was like a jackrabbit with ants in her pants until you touched her. You could physically see the damn tension drain out of her.” She sobered then. “Look, I know how incredibly hard it must be for you to have feelings for each other and to not be able to show them but, Kara, you have to be so careful. If she loses her job, everyone here loses her, not just you.”

“Yeah, I know,” the blonde replied unhappily. “I’ll be more careful.”

Xx

“Hank, come on in,” Warden Danvers said with a small smile as the big man crossed the office and took a seat. “Thanks for coming up here.”

“Glad to see you back, Warden,” he replied as he scratched his nose. “What can I do for you?”

Alex got up and slowly circled her desk to sit on its edge, facing him head on. “I need you to tell me who the prisoners were that you heard talking about the hit on me. I know it wasn’t any of the Hornets and I know that Zorel didn’t order the hit, so it had to have been some other individual or crew.”

When Hank didn’t immediately answer, Alex crossed her arms and met his brown eyes with a pointed stare. “Zorel and I have been working together to implement the same measures to prevent drug trafficking in other blocks as she used here. Tell me, Hank, how was a prisoner, only incarcerated for four months at the time, able to affect so much change WITHOUT the help of officers?”

“Because she’s a vicious bitch,” Hank growled.

“I don’t see that in her,” the brunette replied mildly “She’s been nothing but respectful towards me.”

“That, My Dear,” Hank replied smugly. “Is because of one thing only.” Alex lifted an eyebrow in question. “She wants to get into your pants. Kara Zorel has quite the reputation for being a lady’s woman. She fucks everything that moves.” It took everything Alex had in her to not punch her officer out and her fingers clenched down hard on the edge of her desk as she just breathed through her fury. Henshaw watched her closely, a little smirk twisting his lips. “Hmmm… is the feeling mutual, Warden?”

“I’m going to answer that question at face value, Hank,” Alex replied, slowly releasing her grip on her desktop. “I admire Kara Zorel for everything she’s done for the women in block B and I’m supremely grateful to her for being there for me when I was bleeding out on the floor of the common room. There is nothing outside of that happening between us.”

The big man held up his hands and chuckled again. “You got it, Warden. I thought the women were Hornets, but I may have been mistaken.” He shrugged then and clammed up.

Alex straightened and walked back around her desk to sit down. “I’m really close to reprimanding you for insubordination,” she said softly. “But just pissing me off personally, doesn’t warrant a permanent mark on your record. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your opinions to yourself in future. I’m here to do a job and nothing else.”

Henshaw nodded as he got up. “Duly noted.”

He sauntered out of the office and Alex sat back in her chair, hands fisting as she tried to stop their trembling. It seemed that Henshaw was more dangerous than she realized, and he immediately went to the bottom of her candidates list for deputy warden.

A couple of hours later, she was trying to wash away the last of her annoyance with coffee when JJ suddenly burst into the room. “Warden,” she said, her voice quivering. “It’s Kara.”

Alex stood with enough force to crash her chair into the wall behind her. “What? What’s happened?”

“She was found beaten and unconscious in a maintenance corridor. The medic thinks she might have a head injury and she hasn’t woken up yet, so they’re talking about taking her to National City General hospital. You’ll have to sign off on that.”

Alex grabbed her jacket, phone and radio. “I’m going right now,” she said, obviously upset.

“Alex, wait…” JJ said holding up her hand. Then she pulled the warden into her arms and hugged her, her swollen belly pressing into Alex’s abdomen. “Wait just one minute, ok? Just breathe. You can’t go storming down there like a frantic girlfriend.” She felt the warden stiffen.

“What… what do you mean? She’s not… we’re not…” the brunette said, her voice raspy as she allowed the hug.

Officer Jones smiled gently and eased back to look into worried brown eyes. “Maybe not, but Alex, you have to be her warden right now, not the woman who loves her.”

Tears welled in Alex’s eyes and she wiped at them impatiently as she nodded. “Thank you, JJ.” She took a couple of deep breaths and then squared her shoulders, calling on the part of herself that got her through two tours in Iraq. “I’m not sure if I’ll be back tonight.”

“I’ve got your back,” the young woman replied. “Just take care of her.”

Xx

For a moment, Alex stood outside the door of the infirmary, her back pressed against the wall out of sight of its occupants. She breathed in and out a few times, pushing down panic and settling her impassive face in place before shoving the door open and striding inside. Kara was lying unmoving on a bed, her jaw bruised and a blood-stained bandage around her head. Her clothes had been removed and she was covered in a sheet and thin blanket, pulled up over her chest and tucked under her arms.

“What happened?” she asked as she moved to the side of the bed.

Officer Benedict looked upset and he shook his head. “I found her beaten like this in maintenance corridor four. She wasn’t responding so I picked her up and carried her here. I didn’t want to wait for a gurney.”

Alex nodded, letting her hand rest on his forearm as she smiled at him. Then she looked at the medic. “Tom, what’s her condition?”

He looked nervous for a moment but then squared his shoulders. “Multiple bruises and lacerations and a head wound that I’m worried about since she hasn’t regained consciousness. It could be a concussion or worse.” Then he looked at Officer Benedict nervously again. Alex got the message. “I take it there’s something private that you need to discuss about Prisoner Zorel’s condition. Charlie, can we have the room please?”

“Of course,” Benedict replied, and quickly stepped outside.

“What is it, Tom?” Alex asked, terrified of the answer. “Was she...” She almost couldn’t get the words out. “Sexually...”

“No, no,” Tom interrupted. “No, thank God, but I do need you to see something,” the medic replied as he moved closer to Kara. He pulled back the covers from the right side of her body, exposing some of her breast, her ribs and hip. Alex’s breath caught as she saw the three different areas of bruising along her torso. “What do those look like to you?”

The warden frowned as she tried to figure out what he meant. “I… don’t…”

Tom nodded and lifted his eyebrows, holding out a hand to her as he lowered the covers back over Kara. “Let me demonstrate?”

“Ok,” Alex nodded taking his hand.

Tom stepped behind her, raised her arm as high as he could make it go and then folded it gently behind her head before letting her go. “So, that’s a technique officers learn to subdue prisoners, right?”

“Right,” the warden agreed. “Most prisoners are right-handed, so this stops them from using their dominant hand to attack.”

“Exactly,” Tom confirmed. He picked up a standard issue baton from the table beside him. “Let’s try this again. Officers carry batons. They’re trained to stand behind the prisoner, use their left foot to hook around the prisoner’s leg, their left hand to hold the prisoner’s right behind their head, which leaves their baton hand free to hit the prisoner if needed.” He did the same to Alex and then gently tapped her upper ribs close to her breast, then lower on her ribcage and then her hip with the nightstick, before letting her go. “Three blows, any one of which would take a prisoner down.” He let Alex go and went back to Kara to lift the bedcovers again, this time holding the baton next to each of the wide bruises down her right side. They were a perfect match and Alex sucked in a deeply shocked breath as the pieces clicked into place.

“You’re saying an officer did this,” she said quietly.

“That would be my opinion,” the man replied, shaking his head disgustedly. “And not only did that officer hit her once, they did it three times. I also think the blow to her head happened first, rendering her completely compliant. She didn’t stand a chance. Warden, I didn’t want to say all this in front of Benedict, for obvious reasons… but… I don’t think it was him. He was frantic when he brought her in.”

Just then, Kara moaned, and her eyelashes fluttered. “Oh, thank God,” Alex said softly as she went to the bed. “This is a good sign, right?” she asked, and Tom nodded.

“Yeah, a very good sign.”

It took another minute or so, but Alex smiled gently as blue eyes fluttered open and Kara sucked in a pained breath as her gaze flitted around the room. “Kara,” Alex said softly as she took her friend’s hand. “You’re ok.”

“That’s a matter of opinion,” the blonde mumbled, but a little smile rose to her lips. She winced as her bruised jaw protested but her hand tightened around Alex’s. “Warden Danvers,” she murmured. “Are you ok?”

Alex laughed incredulously. “Am I ok? You just got the shit beaten out of you and you’re asking me if I’m ok?”

“Silly, I know. I’m tough,” the blonde replied. “But you’re tougher.”

Alex shook her head. “I don’t feel very tough right now,” she murmured, trying desperately to hold back tears. She straightened up more then and cleared her throat. “Tom, I need to talk to Miss Zorel alone please.”

“Of course,” the man replied with a nod. “If she exhibits any signs of slipping back into unconsciousness or if she has trouble forming words or thoughts, come get me immediately, ok? I’ll be in my office next door.”

“Understood,” Alex replied, then as the medic left the room, she pulled the privacy curtain around the bed.

Kara smiled affectionately at her. “Alone at last.”

Alex gazed at her and then she moved back to her side but this time, she leaned in and cupped Kara’s face, mindful of her bruising. “Ssshhh,” she whispered and pressed her lips gently against the blonde’s, holding them there for a moment. But then Kara responded, and Alex tilted her head, parting her lips a little to capture Kara’s bottom lip between them. The blonde sighed softly, and her tongue eased out to slide across Alex’s top lip, asking for entrance. The warden gasped and kissed Kara deeper, getting lost in the silken feeling of her until they were both breathing heavily. But the prisoner suddenly pulled back with a gasp of pain, her hand moving to her side.

“I’m sorry,” she said, eyes heavy with need and pain. “Ribs. Breathing hurts.”

“Don’t apologize,” Alex replied, her fingertips stroking over Kara’s face and down her neck to her chest so gently, it felt like a ghostly touch.

“Warden?”

“Yes, Charlie?” Alex replied, straightening and smiling at Kara as she rubbed at the lipstick smudge on her lips.

“Are we going to the hospital?”

“Ask Tom to come back in please. Miss Zorel is awake and lucid.”

“Oh good,” Benedict replied as he headed back out.

“And very, very horny,” Kara added under her breath. Alex clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.

A moment later Charlie and Tom stepped inside the curtain. “How are you feeling now, Miss Zorel?” the medic asked.

“Like I went twenty rounds with Tyson,” Kara joked. “How do I look?”

“Like you went twenty rounds with Tyson,” Tom replied with a chuckle. “Listen, Zorel, I need you to be honest with me, ok? I don’t feel that any of your ribs are broken and I only see bruising to your torso and face. I don’t think those warrant a trip to the hospital because they’ll just do what I’m going to do, which is wrap your ribs and treat your bruising with antiseptic ointment and arnica.”

Kara nodded her agreement. “Yeah, got it.”

“I AM worried about your head injury though, so I need you to tell me if you’re having problems with forming thoughts or finding words.”

“No, no problems that I can tell,” the blonde replied.

“And pain on a scale of one to ten?”

“Head… about a three,” the prisoner responded. “Ribs… a five if I don’t move or breathe too deeply. Eight if I take a deep breath. Ten if I do both.”

Alex ached to comfort Kara. She’d experienced pain like that in Iraq after an IED had flipped the Humvee she and her team had been riding in and she knew how exhausting it was to deal with.

“I know you’re probably tired,” Tom finished. “But I’d like you to stay awake for the next hour at least.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Alex replied. “We need to talk about what happened.”

Kara’s face clouded with confusion, but she nodded her agreement. “Ok.”

“Guys, can you bring her something to eat too?” the warden requested.

“I’ll get her a tray,” Benedict said with a smile and headed out.

“Thanks,” Kara replied.

After Tom had wrapped her ribs and treated her other injuries, Alex keeping her eyes carefully averted, he headed out too and the blonde relaxed into the pillows, releasing as much tension from her body as she could. Her ribs eased a little too as Alex took her hand and held it again. She didn’t say anything, but Kara sighed softly. “I don’t know who it was,” she said. “I remember walking and being surprised when someone grabbed me from behind and dragged me down the maintenance corridor with their hand over my mouth. I remember pain and then nothing.”

“It was an officer,” the warden said softly, voice trembling with anger. “And I think it was Henshaw.”

“Wait now,” Kara protested. “We don’t know that.”

“I know it was an officer because Tom and I were able to recreate the scenario that caused the injuries to your torso. They match baton strikes perfectly. I think Henshaw hit you over the head to make you compliant and then beat you with a… ss-stick.” Upset stole Alex’s breath for a moment.

“Why do you think it was Henshaw?”

“He and I had a thing in my office a few hours ago. I brought him in to ask him about the women he overheard talking about the hit on me.” Kara’s face darkened but she let Alex continue. “He said some shitty things about you, and I got kinda angry.”

“What did he say?” Kara asked squeezing Alex’s hand gently.

“He said you….um… were only protecting me because you wanted to get in my pants and that you…” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You fucked everything that moved.”

Alex was surprised when a soft laugh, following by a wince of pain, was Kara’s reaction. “Shit, don’t make me laugh, Honey,” Kara said, the pet name slipping out unbidden. But she sobered when she saw the look on her friend’s face. “I’m sorry,” she said gently. “I’m sure that was very hard to hear, Alex, but you know it’s not true, right?” When the warden just looked down, the blonde sighed. “I forget sometimes that you don’t have the information to...” Kara brought the brunette’s hand to her lips. “Alex, I haven’t had sex with ANYONE since I arrived here.”

“No one?” Alex replied, almost incredulously.

“No one,” the blonde confirmed. “I’ve heard the rumors about me but none of them are true.” She grinned then. “Why do you think I almost fucking hyperventilated when you kissed me just now. It wasn’t just the ribs.”

The warden laughed softly. “I believe you. So anyway, back to Henshaw. He accused me of wanting to get into your pants too.” She sighed as she met Kara’s eyes. “I told him nothing was happening between us and to keep his opinions to himself.”

“You lied,” Kara teased. “I know you want to get into my pants… not that I’m wearing any… or anything else right now.”

Alex blushed slightly and cleared her throat. “I’m aware.”

“You peeked… bad girl.”

“Kara.”

“Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood.” The prisoner sighed and wiggled to get more comfortable just as they heard the infirmary door open and then shut.

“Dinner!” Benedict said as he approached the curtain and Alex popped out to take the tray from him.

“Thanks, Charlie. You can get on home now. Thanks for everything.”

“You’re welcome, Warden. Hope you feel better soon, Zorel.”

“Night, Officer Benedict,” Kara called as Alex sat down on the chair with the tray on her lap. The blonde looked over its contents. “Yum,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“I know,” the warden grimaced. “But you should eat something.” She passed a fork to her friend and held out a plate of something resembling meatloaf.

Kara forked up some of the brown stuff, chewed slowly as she favored her jaw and then swallowed. “If this really is Henshaw, what can we do? There are cameras everywhere, but I don’t think he’d be stupid enough to let himself be recorded.”

“Agreed,” Alex replied as she buttered some bread and passed it to her friend. Kara dipped it in the tepid meatloaf gravy and chewed thoughtfully.

“I wonder…” she said slowly. “If he was the one who used June and her cronies to have you shivved. That might explain why I couldn’t get anything out of them. Maybe they’re more afraid of him than they are of me.”

“What did you do to them?” Alex asked, eyebrow raised.

Kara frowned. “You don’t need to know the details… but it involved fists.”

“Kara,” Alex said in a scolding tone.

“Alex, if I’m going to keep my tenuous hold on power, I have to show strength. Besides, it was you,” the blonde replied seriously. “They hurt you and I… um… I…” She took a breath. “I went a bit crazy.”

The warden nodded. “Probably just like I did in my office before I came down here. JJ had to talk me off the ledge.” She smiled then. “She hugged me and told me to breathe because she knew I was freaking out. She suspects about… us…”

Kara looked down. “Alex… there isn’t an _us_. There can’t be. Megan reminded me that you could get into serious trouble and if you lost your job here, it’s not just me that would lose you.”

“Kara,” the warden said softly. “I know what could happen. And you’re right, there may not officially be an _us_ but… tell me you don’t feel something for me.”

“I…” Tears welled in Kara’s eyes as she brought Alex’s hand to her lips again. “I feel so fucking much for you, it’s terrifying,” she admitted.

“For me too,’ the warden replied on an exhale. “But it’s only two more years.”

“Wh-what?” the blonde asked, not understanding.

“You’ll be out in two years and… maybe there could be an _us_ then?”

“What are… are you saying you want to wait for me? Alex… I can’t expect that. Two years is a long time. You could meet someone else.”

“But I love you,” the warden said very softly, and Kara’s breath caught in her chest as the words sank in. “When I realized I could lose you today, I couldn’t breathe. It felt like I was holding my breath all the way from my office until I saw that you were actually still alive.”

The prisoner opened her arms. “C’mere,” she said. Alex set the tray aside and moved into the blonde’s arms. Kara hugged her as hard as she could and the warden gently squeezed back, mindful of her friend’s ribs. “I love you too, Alex.” They kissed slowly and deeply until their need became insistent enough for them to pull back, gasping for breath as their foreheads pressed together. “I want you so much,” Kara added shakily, panting shallowly as she tried to deal with the pain. “But we-we need to stop.”

“I know,” the brunette whispered, her entire body trembling. She eased back and got the tray back onto her lap to help Kara finish eating. It barely served to take her mind off the lithe, naked body under the thin sheet and blanket covering the blonde.

“Tell me about your family and Midvale?” the prisoner asked, trying to distract them.

Alex nodded. “Hmmm... Alex Danvers in thirty seconds... My Dad’s dead. My Mom’s a scientist. I’m an only child. I grew up in a house a few yards from the beach, so I spent a lot of my time in the water… surfing, swimming and stuff. I liked school but I knew I wanted to serve so I enlisted after I graduated high school. My Mom was not amused of course, but she got it.” Her voice grew wistful then. “Iraq was hell and I came back with PTSD… I’m still working through that. College then, I finished a degree in criminology at NCU but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do then. I took the job as a corrections officer while I was trying to decide and I guess, I just realized that this was something I found meaningful.”

“Meaningful,” Kara mused. “I had that too,” she said. “I was an artist. I graduated from NCU Art School and I was making a pretty good living as a photographer and painter. I met Siobhan at a gallery one night and we dated for a couple years before she proposed. Next thing I know, I’m in here, punching faces.”

“What about an appeal?” Alex asked.

“No one would take the case. They all said it was open and shut.”

Alex shook her head and a thoughtful look came over her face. “Kara, I have a friend who’s a defense attorney. I could ask her to look into your case. Her name is Lena Luthor and she’s really good.”

“Do you think she’ll take it?”

“I think she might, if I ask her. She owes me a favor,” Alex grinned, and Kara was sure there was a story behind that.

They were smiling at each other when Tom arrived back into the room. “Alright you two, no more gossiping,” he teased. “Kara, how are you feeling now?”

“A little better,” the blonde replied. “Do I stay here overnight?”

“I’d still like to keep an eye on that head injury but, if everything goes ok tonight, I think we can release you tomorrow morning. Just no exercise for a couple weeks at least, hear me? You’re going to be sore for a while as those ribs heal.”

“Yes, Sir. I’ll be careful.”

“Ok,” Tom nodded. “Good. Now it’s the end of my shift. There’s a medic on call if you need something during the night. Just hit the button on the bed control and one of the officers will call her.”

“I’m staying with her for a while,” Alex said. “I’ll make sure she’s ok.”

“Warden Danvers,” Kara said softly. “You should go home and get some rest. It’s late.”

Tom chuckled. “I’ll let you work that out between you. Goodnight, Ladies.” He headed out and Alex shook her head.

“How about I stay with you until you fall asleep,” she said. She walked around the bed and toed off her shoes. Then she turned off the lamp next to the bed and lay down with Kara, on top of the bedcovers. She turned onto her side, pressing gently against the blonde’s uninjured side as she stroked her fingers through her hair. They kissed gently and as they eased apart, Kara took Alex’s hand and laced their fingers together on her chest over her heart. “I love you,” Alex whispered.

“I love you too,” Kara replied. She closed her eyes as exhaustion overcame her and moments later, she was asleep. She awoke a few hours later to find the bed unbearably empty but the scent of Alex’s light perfume and shampoo clinging to her pillow.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls work together to get the information they need... Alex teaches Henshaw a lesson...

Sue had June by the throat, shoved up against the wall of the exercise yard in a camera blind spot with Megan and Andrea keeping watch. “You know,” she said softly. “Kara has a code. She won’t kill people or even maim them beyond repair… but I don’t have a problem with breaking your neck FOR her.”

“I didn’t touch her,” the older woman gasped, struggling against the Latina’s iron grip.

“Nono,” Sue replied. “I’m not asking about Kara. I’m asking about Warden Danvers. The Hornets have a theory that it was Officer Henshaw that told you and your little friends to take the warden out, or maybe just to send her a serious warning. Yes or no?” She squeezed June’s throat a little more.

“I… I don’t… He’ll kill me…”

“He MAY kill you if he finds out you told me, but I WILL kill you if you don’t,” Sue said, squeezing a tad harder. “Yes or no?” The Latina’s fingers completely closed off the older woman’s windpipe and as she couldn’t get any air, she began frantically tapping out against the hornet’s forearm. The woman’s eyes pleaded with her and Sue let up a little, letting her get some gasps of breath. “YES. OR. NO.”

“Yes…” the woman gasped. “Yes, it was Henshaw, but I didn’t stab Warden Danvers, I swear. It wasn’t me.”

Sue let her go and stepped back, wiping her hand on the front of her overalls. “Get out of my sight,” she growled. June scurried away as the Latina grinned at Megan and Andrea. “Um… don’t tell Kara I did that, ok?”

“Definitely won’t,” Andrea promised, and Megan agreed. What Kara didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. Then they headed for their leader’s cell. Kara was lying in bed on her uninjured side facing the wall, still in her pajamas. She was reading a book, but she was finding it hard to keep her attention on it as shooting pain made her squirm every now and again.

“Girl,” Megan said as she rubbed the blonde’s shoulder gently. “You should have taken the drugs.”

“No,” Kara disagreed. “No drugs. You know I’m a recovering addict.”

“Ok,” Megan replied, completely understanding. “I just hate to see you in pain like this.”

Kara rolled slowly onto her back and smiled at her crew. “Find anything out?”

“Sure did,” Andrea replied. “Sue talked to June and finally got her to admit that it was... who we thought it was... who ordered the hit on the warden.

“Good job,” the blonde said, smiling at her lieutenant. “Ok, one down. How do we find out who attacked me?”

“Actually…” a new voice interjected. The Hornets turned to find Warden Danvers leaning on the bars of the cell. “I think I can help with that.” She came in and sat on the end of Kara’s bed, tweaking her bare big toe. “How are you feeling?”

“Meh,” Kara replied with a shrug. “Been better. Getting dressed was a no go this morning and I can’t seem to get comfortable.”

The warden pulled her radio out of her back pocket. “Officer Jones from Unit one, come in.”

“Go ahead, Warden.”

“Can you please have someone bring an extra mattress and pillow to Miss Zorel’s cell? She’s in a lot of pain and I think it’ll help her to get more comfortable.”

Sue snickered and elbowed Andrea as Megan just smiled. Alex looked at them. “What?” she asked. “If she can’t have painkillers, least I can do is get her another damn mattress.”

“Right away, Warden,” JJ replied, and Alex slipped the device back into her pocket.

Kara brought everyone’s attention back to her with a clearing of throat. “Warden Danvers, you said you might be able to help?” she said, letting her blue eyes capture Alex’s brown.

The brunette nodded. “I’ve been through the camera footage from yesterday evening, both in the main and maintenance corridors. You were right, Miss Zorel, the footage isn’t there BUT, I was able to piece together a potential timeline from earlier footage.” She lowered her voice a little. “Henshaw was in the maintenance corridor thirty-eight minutes before you were found. We don’t know exactly how long you were there, but it makes sense that he’d want to scrub back far enough to where we wouldn’t think to look.”

“Except you DID look,” Megan said softly.

Alex smiled. “Of course I did.” She sobered then. “Miss Zorel, I have you on tape coming into the main corridor from the stairwell around the same time that Henshaw was in the maintenance corridor. You disappear thirty-six minutes before you were found.”

“Fuck,” Kara said softly. “So, we have him?”

“Circumstantial though, I’m afraid,” the warden sighed. “But it’s enough to go to the police with.”

“And now we have the confession from June, we can add that to the evidence and get him for your attack too,” Kara said, a smug smile on her face.

Alex smiled widely as she got up. “I’m going to call them now.” Just then, Benedict arrived at the cell door carrying another thin mattress and two spare pillows. “Officer Jones sent me to drop these off,” he said. “Afternoon, Ladies, Warden.”

“Thanks, Mr. Benedict,” Megan said as she accepted the items and then raised a brow at Kara and Alex.

“I’ve got this,” Alex said softly. “Thanks.”

The Hornets nodded and filed out of the cell, but Megan remained at the door, her back to them, keeping watch. “Subtle,” Kara grinned as she tried to sit up but winced and grabbed her side. “Unnngggg.”

Alex leaned over her. “Put your arms around my neck,” she said. “Let me do the work.”

Kara nodded and held on as Alex wrapped her arms around her in return and leaned back, drawing the prisoner up with her and swiveling her until she was sitting with her feet pressed firmly against the floor. “Just… give me one second,” Kara asked as she panted shallowly through the pain. Alex crouched between her thighs then, letting her hands rest on them and stroking gently.

When the blonde was able, she did the same, wrapping her arms around her friend and pressing against her. “One, two, three,” the warden said softly and then she powered upwards with her thighs, lifting Kara up with her and getting her onto her feet. “Good… ok… do you think you can stand while I get the bed ready?”

“I think so,” Kara nodded but Alex turned to the door. “Megan, could you…?”

“Sure,” the older woman replied as she went to her friend and gently helped her to support her weight as the warden made a quick job of fixing the bed and getting the pillows fluffed.

“Ok,” The brunette said. “We’re just going to do the reverse now, ok?”

“How do you know how to do this?” Kara asked softly.

“Basic Army field medic training,” Alex replied. “It came in handy when I was in Iraq.” The blonde nodded and wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck again as Megan went back to the door. “Ok, just let your knees unlock as slowly as you can.” Alex felt Kara’s weight increase and lowered her slowly to the bed to sit down again. “Good job,” she said. Kara glanced at the door and then left a quick kiss on the warden’s lips. Alex chuckled softly as she helped Kara swivel her legs back onto the bed and then lowered her onto her back onto the much softer bed. She propped Kara’s right arm up on one of the spare pillows and then stroked her hair back from her eyes. “How’s that?”

“Better,” the prisoner admitted with a smile. “Thank you.”

It was Alex’s turn to glance at the door before dropping a kiss on Kara’s forehead and murmuring into her ear. “I love you.” She drew back then. “I’ve gotta go but I’ll check in on you later on.” Kara nodded and felt the loss of Alex’s exit acutely but outside, Megan stopped the warden with her hand on her arm.

“Thank you, Warden,” she said softly, understanding passing between them.

The brunette nodded and smiled in return. “And thank you,” she replied before heading toward the stairwell.

Xx

“You will? Jesus, Lena, I can’t thank you enough!” Alex exclaimed as she eased back on the death grip she had on her phone.

“Yeah, seriously, Alex. When I dug into the file, I very quickly realized that whoever the hell her attorney was didn’t know his ass from his elbow. I can think of twelve different motions he should have filed. Primarily, Kara and this Siobhan woman weren’t married, therefore spousal privilege wasn’t in play so she could have been compelled to testify. This idiot didn’t even bother to look for her… or if he did, he didn’t document it.”

The warden let out an aggrieved breath. “Shit like that kills me,” she said unhappily. “Over a year of Kara’s life down the drain because of inept lawyers.”

“Agreed,” Lena chuckled. “So, what’s so special about this prisoner, Alex? How did she get on your radar?”

For a moment, Alex didn’t say anything but then she swallowed and her voice gentled. “It’s a long story but... I’m in love with her.”

“Alex Danvers, finally in love,” the lawyer teased. “She must be pretty special.”

“She’s... my whole heart,” Alex replied. “But we can’t be together in here. If there’s a chance we can get her out…”

“I know,” Lena replied gently. “Alex, this case was grossly mishandled, but you know I can’t guarantee an outcome. I’ll do the best I can. I’ll let you know when I’ve filed the motions and got her a review date. Then I’ll come meet the woman who stole Alex Danvers’ heart.”

“You don’t know what this means to me...”

“Oh, Sweetie, I know exactly what this means to you. See you soon, ok?”

“Bye, Lena. Thank you.”

The warden hung up and sat for a moment, just breathing. If anyone could clear Kara’s name, it was Lena. Then there was a tap on her door and JJ stuck her head in, her face sober.

“Warden Danvers,” she said. “The police are here.”

Xx

Alex was absolutely exhausted. It’d been a long day and it still wasn’t over but the one thing she was looking forward to, was stopping by to see Kara before she went home.

The police had been with her for almost three hours, questioning her and listening as she offered them her suspicions and the evidence she’d been gathering. Everything from hers and Kara’s attacks to the drug distribution business going on inside the walls of the prison. All of the evidence pointed back to Henshaw and the detective nodded seriously as he asked questions and took notes.

Alex got up and stood at her office window for a while, watching the sun going down over the nearby National City skyline and she wished, not for the first time, that Kara could be there with her, holding her as they enjoyed the sunset together. She could almost feel the blonde’s arms around her, and it made tears well in her eyes and her breath catch.

Alex took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She knew that the other prisoners on Kara’s row would be gone to movie night, so she grabbed her jacket and stepped out into the waiting area. JJ had already gone home an hour previously and it was very quiet. The warden flipped off the lights and headed out. She used her security badge to enter B block and strolled along the corridor, smiling as she heard the laughter coming from the common room as she passed by.

“You know,” a voice suddenly said from behind her. “I knew from the very first day I met you that you’d be a pain in my ass.”

Alex slowed her steps and let out a sigh as she turned to face Hank Henshaw. “Yeah,” she mused. “My commanding officer in Iraq told me the same thing when I found out he was running a prostitution ring at our base. It didn’t end well for him... just as it’s not going to end well for you. I’ve already spoken to the police, Hank.”

“I should have just killed you AND that little dyke bitch you’re fucking.”

The warden tilted her head. “You're kinda obsessed with my love life, aren’t you? Whatsematter? Not getting any? Pissed that Miss Zorel wouldn’t do you? Is your dick that small, Hankie?” She wiggled her little finger at him, and his face turned red with fury.

“Laugh it up while you still can,” he said, pulling his baton out of his belt. “I’m going to enjoy breaking your face.”

Alex smiled coldly and took her stance, centering her body over the balls of her feet and breathing deeply. Then she crooked a finger at him. “Come and get me, Asshole.”

With a yell of rage, the big man lunged at her, baton raised but Alex just waited ‘til the last moment to duck under his arm and then spin a kick to the side of his head as he went by her. The shell of his ear split with the force of her heel and he staggered to the side, touching it with teeth gritted as he pulled back his hand and saw blood on his fingers.

“Bitch,” he spat, lunging again and swinging his baton at her. Alex raised her arm in a block, wincing as the nightstick caught her wrist but angling the momentum of it downward until it hit the floor. She stomped on it, knocking it out of Henshaw’s grip. Then she knuckle-jabbed him hard in the throat, bringing him to his knees, gasping for air.

“Henshaw! Stop!”

Alex hazily realized that Officer Benedict was running toward them at the same time as she realized that the big man was lunging at her again. She drew her fists into her sides and snapped up her leg in a front kick that caught Henshaw right under his chin and knocked him back onto the floor, his head hitting the cold tile with a thud and knocking him unconscious. “Fuck,” Alex muttered as she shook her wrist out. “Bastard.”

“Warden, are you ok?” Benedict asked as he made it to them. “What the hell is going on? I saw him attack you.”

“Sorry, Charlie but there’s a lot more going on around here than you’re aware of. As of now, Mr. Henshaw is no longer an employee of this facility. Can you please get him restrained and call the police? I want him arrested and charged with assault after he’s cleared by a medic.” The brunette chuckled then. “As soon as his pansy ass actually wakes up.”

Benedict laughed and shook his head. “Henshaw messed with the wrong woman.”

“Yes, he did,” Alex replied. “Now, I need to go see Miss Zorel and fill her in on a few things. Call me on my cell when the police get here please.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Charlie nodded as he slipped cuffs onto Henshaw’s wrists.

Alex rubbed her sore wrist as she trotted up the stairway to the upper level where Kara’s cell was located. Megan was sitting on the bed reading a book while Kara slept peacefully on her uninjured side, her hand tucked under her cheek. “Hey, Megan,” the warden said softly. “How is she?”

“Sleeping at last,” the older woman replied with a smile. “It took her a while to relax but the extra mattress and pillows really helped.”

“I’m glad,” Alex said as she took a seat on the tiny stool connected to the equally tiny writing table. “Henshaw just attacked me again downstairs.”

Megan sat forward. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah. I subdued him and Benedict has him under restraint in the infirmary. The police are on their way.”

“Lucky I wasn’t there, or you’d be measuring him for a coffin,” Kara growled, fierce blue eyes fastening on the warden as she eased over onto her back.

“And she’s back,” Alex chuckled. “It’s ok. Everything’s good.” Kara rumbled a growl deep in her chest again and Alex swallowed, her body responding unexpectedly. She reached over and took Kara’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Honey… try to relax, ok? I don’t want you hurting any more than you already are. And hey, I have some great news. My lawyer friend I told you about… She agreed to take your case and on initial review, she’s disgusted by the level of ineptitude your original lawyer displayed.”

“Really?” Kara whispered. “She’s really going to do it?” The blonde looked at Megan who was smiling broadly, then back to Alex. “Thank you, Alex.”

The warden moved to her knees next to the bed and brought the prisoner’s hand to her lips. “Don’t thank me,” she said, not caring that Megan was watching. “Because I’ll get as much out of this as you will. I love you and I want to be with you.”

Megan melted as she watched them. “Awwwwww. You two are just too sweet.” She got up and grinned. “Now, kiss your woman while I keep watch.” She moved to the door as Alex leaned in and captured Kara’s lips in a fierce kiss that left them both breathless. She wanted so badly to touch the blonde and she let her hand slowly move down her chest and over her breast, running her thumb slowly over her nipple. Kara sucked in a shallow breath, then a small moan left her throat. The prisoner pushed a little on Alex’s chest then and smiled as the warden eased back with a grin.

“As amazing as that feels,” Kara whispered. “You’d better stop now, or I won’t be able to stop myself from giving the whole cell block a show.”

“Ok,” Alex replied on a delighted laugh. “I need to go deal with the fallout from this Henshaw bullshit anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?”

“Tomorrow,” Kara replied. “Good night, Alex.”

The warden slipped out of the cell behind Megan, giving her a smile and a shoulder squeeze as she went. The older woman stepped back inside and fanned herself. “Wow. I’m not into women but she’s... wow...”

The blonde rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Tell me about it.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the line… both Hank and Kara get what they deserve…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for hanging in with me, Folks!

It was two weeks after Henshaw’s little stunt, and he was being held under charges of drug dealing, assault and attempted murder. Alex and Kara couldn’t have been happier, especially now that Lena had let them know that she’d managed to get a quick court date for Kara by pulling some strings through a judge who owed her a favor.

Alex and Kara were sitting together on the couch in Alex’s office, talking quietly, when JJ tapped on the door and stepped inside. “Miss Luthor to see you, Warden,” she said.

Kara’s eyes widened as a woman with striking green eyes, dark hair and a pale, beautiful face strode into the office, briefcase in hand.

Alex got up and crossed the room to meet her friend, hugging her hard and then kissing her cheek. “I missed you, Luthor.”

Lena beamed back at her. “I missed you too, Sweetheart.” Then she looked over at Kara and moved closer, offering her hand.

Alex grinned at her girlfriend. “Kara, this is Lena. She and I served together in Iraq and we’ve been close friends ever since.”

The prisoner eased her way up from the couch and shook the lawyer's hand with a smile. “Wow, Danvers,” Lena chuckled. “You weren’t kidding. She’s gorgeous.” Kara’s eyebrows shot up and she blushed a little. “Sorry, Kara,” the lawyer grinned. “I’m just thrilled that my friend here is finally in love with someone other than me,” she joked making Alex blush and roll her eyes. “It’s an absolutely pleasure to meet you.”

“You too,” the blonde replied. “I can’t thank you enough for taking my case.”

“Darling, your being in here is bullshit,” Lena replied succinctly. “If I can get your sentence overturned, I’m going to file for damages for you too.”

“What do you think my chances are?” Alex came over to them and indicated the couch. Kara and Lena sat down next to each other.

“I don’t like to predict the outcome of any case,” Lena said slowly. “But, let me just say that I’d be more than a little surprised if it wasn’t overturned. Especially since I’ve already found Siobhan Smythe and served her with a subpoena. She WILL testify to what she knows.”

Kara sucked in a breath and nodded, wrapping her arms around herself as hurt etched her face. She slowly got up and went to the window, looking out over the exercise yard and watching her friends playing basketball.

Lena looked at Alex and indicated Kara with her eyes. Alex nodded and got up to move behind the blonde and wrap her arms gently around her waist. “I know she hurt you in unimaginable ways but... do you still love her?” she asked quietly.

Kara sighed and looked down as she searched inside herself for an honest answer. “A tiniest part of me... maybe,” she finally replied. She turned then in Alex’s arms, pressing her hands against the warden’s hips and looking into her eyes. “The whole rest of me loves you.”

Lena smiled and looked down as Alex’s fingertips stroked down Kara’s neck over her tattoo. Then she kissed her forehead. “Good,” she murmured. “And you won’t have to face her alone. I’ll be right in that court room with you.”

Lena opened her briefcase then and held up a picture. “Kara, do you recognize this guy?”

The prisoner moved back to the couch and sat down to take the picture and examine it. Her brow creased into a little frown. “Yeah, I do,” she said. “He’s Siobhan’s older brother, Killian. I only met him once or twice, but he looks a lot like her.”

“He has a record,” the lawyer went on. “He did a few years for robbery back in twenty-thirteen and I suspect he went right back to his thieving ways after he got out.”

“I had no idea,” Kara said angrily as she waved the picture. “So, the logical train of thought is to suspect that Siobhan got the ring from him. Which means she HAD to have known that the goddamn thing was stolen!”

Alex’s hands fisted in her lap, but she didn’t say anything.

Lena nodded unhappily. “I’m not sure what her intentions were, and I won’t know that ‘til I interview her. Maybe it just never occurred to her that the jeweler might call the cops.”

The blonde sighed. “I get that,” she said. “But she left me to take the blame and I can never forgive her for that.” She leaned back into Alex, resting her hand on the warden’s thigh and needing the comfort of her touch.

The lawyer sighed and got up. “Ok, Ladies, trial date is set for two weeks from now. I’ll have everything tied up with a neat bow by then, don’t you worry.”

Alex got up and hugged her friend again. “See you soon,” she said. “Be safe, Lee.”

“You too... both of you,” Lena replied and then quickly made her way out the door.

Alex watched her go, startling a little as Kara’s arms came around her waist. “Does a tiniest part of you still love her?”

The warden nodded. “But the whole rest of me loves you.”

Xx

Kara had missed four weeks of exercise due to her injuries but still, her grey pantsuit and white shirt were too loose when she put them on her trim body, the final day of the retrial. Lena had done an incredible job of meticulously placing the evidence in front of the judge and Kara had made it through Siobhan’s testimony by concentrating on Alex’s presence behind her. She’d sat with her head held high as her ex-fiancée floundered through the lawyer’s questions, unable to meet Kara’s eyes at all.

The blonde looked in the mirror, almost not recognizing herself out of her prison blues. Sue, Andrea and Megan were watching her silently as the other Hornets waited outside the shower room. Kara pushed her long hair back behind her ears and took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and trying to settle her nerves. Then she turned around and held her arms out from her sides.

“How do I look?”

“Beautiful,” Megan replied with a smile as she willed back tears.

“Delicious,” Sue chuckled. “And terrified.”

“Kara,” the older woman added. “If everything goes your way, this could be the last time we see you.”

“No,” the blonde replied, reaching up to wipe tears from her face. Then she drew her three best friends into her arms for a group hug. “Even if I do get out, I’ll miss you and I’ll come visit, I promise.” She chuckled then. “Otherwise, I’ll see you at dinner.” She saw Officer Jones come to the door then, waddling slightly.

“Ready to go, Miss Zorel?”

“Yes, I’m ready.” With another deep breath, Kara left her friends and walked out into the corridor. The Hornets hugged her and wished her well as she slowly moved down the hallway.

“If I don’t come back,” Kara said. “You all listen to Sue and Megan. They’ll be in charge.”

At the end of the corridor, next to the security door, Alex was waiting to see her off. Kara would be transported in a prison van and she’d meet her at the courthouse like she had the last couple of days. The prisoner paused as she met the warden’s eyes. Then she raised her voice a little as she held out her hand. “Warden Danvers, in case I don’t see you again, thank you for the kindness you’ve shown me and all the other women here. It’s been a pleasure and my honor to work with you.”

“Thank you, Miss Zorel, you too,” the warden replied a smile. “Now get going. You don’t want to be late.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the blonde agreed, and she allowed herself to be cuffed and led to the van as she felt Alex’s eyes following her. The door slid shut and Officer Benedict helped her with her seatbelt, smiling at her.

“You’re getting out, Kara,” he said quietly. “I just know it.”

“Thanks, Mr. Benedict,” she replied with a smile. “But I’m not getting my hopes up until I hear the judge say it.”

The drive to the courthouse took just under an hour and Kara just watched the scenery go by. At least, if she wasn’t freed, she’d have this to remember, to get her through the rest of her sentence. Lena was waiting for her at intake and, as Benedict took her cuffs off, she smiled widely.

“Today’s the day, Kara,” she said. “How do you feel?”

“Scared shitless,” the blonde replied shakily.

The lawyer laughed softly. “That’s exactly what Alex said. She’s in the gallery, waiting for us.” Lena squeezed Kara’s shoulder as the bailiff opened the door and escorted them up the stairs to the courtroom.

Alex stood as they entered, and Kara squeezed her hand as she passed and then took her chair as a door across the room opened and the judge entered. “All rise,” the bailiff said. “Court is in session. The Honorable Judge Catherine Grant presiding.” Everyone stood and waited until Judge Grant had seated herself and indicated for everyone to take their seats with an impatient wave of her hand.

“Well,” she began. “Nice to see you out of those prison overalls, Miss Zorel,” she said with a smile as she opened a file in front of her. “Since this is a bench trial, I feel obliged to tell you that, if I had tried this case in the first place, I would have had a hard time coming to a decision other than guilty based on the original evidence.”

Kara looked down, twisting her fingers together anxiously as she began to fear the worst.

“However,” Judge Grant went on. “The disgraceful lack of evidence back then and the astonishing new evidence this time around are polar opposites. I’ve been through everything and I wanted to provide a quick verdict because, quite frankly, Miss Zorel, your conviction fourteen months ago was a staggering miscarriage of justice.”

Kara held her breath and she heard Alex suck in a breath too as they bailiff asked the courtroom’s occupants to rise. Kara’s legs were shaking so hard that she wasn’t sure they’d hold her up.

“So, Miss Zorel, without making you wait any longer, I hereby vacate all charges against you. You are free to go with deepest apologies from the State of California. AND, in addition, I hereby issue a bench warrant for Siobhan and Killian Smythe. They will answer for what they did to you, Miss Zorel, I can promise you that.” Judge Grant slammed her gavel down. “Next case!”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” Kara said and then laughed as Lena grabbed her into a hug, returning it with as much fervor. Then she turned to Alex, smiling gently as she saw tears spilling down her cheeks. The warden slowly stood and reached out her arms across the low barrier and Kara hopped over it to crush her in a hug that stole the breath from both of them. Then they exchanged a lingering kiss and pressed their foreheads together, just reveling in the moment of Kara’s freedom.

“Oh My God,” the blonde whispered. “I’m… I’m free.”

“Yes, My Love, you are,” Alex replied on a laugh. “Free forever.”

Then Lena was putting her hand on Alex’s back. “Let’s go, Guys. We need to vacate the courtroom.”

Hand in hand, Alex and Kara headed down the aisle ahead of her and stepped out into the hallway. Kara rubbed distractedly at her wrist and Alex chuckled. “No more handcuffs.”

“Right,” Lena agreed. Then she faced them with a smile. “So, what happens now?” she asked.

“We go home,” Alex replied, bringing Kara’s hand to her lips. “Together… if that’s ok? I mean… I get it if you want to stay at a hotel or something…”

“Alex,” Kara chuckled. “While I didn’t want to assume anything and hell, we should have talked about this beforehand… but I was really hoping I could stay with you.”

“Me too,” the warden replied. Then she looked at her friend. “Lena, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us.”

“It was my pleasure,” the lawyer replied. “Right now, I have to go finish the paperwork to legally make you a free woman. Hey, let’s get together and have dinner during the week ok?”

“Ok,” Kara grinned. “I can’t wait.”

“Take care, You Two,” Lena added over her shoulder as she headed off down the corridor.

Xx

“It’s not huge, but it’s home,” Alex said as she led Kara by the hand through the front door of her loft. The blonde was carrying some bags of new clothes, underwear and other basics that Alex had bought for her. It would take a few days for Kara’s possessions to be returned and her bank account unfrozen.

“It’s the most beautiful place I’ve been in over a year,” Kara chuckled as she looked around the large open space that was so intrinsically Alex. “And there are no bars.”

To the right was the kitchen with a high-top table and chairs. To the left was the living room area, with a comfortable looking oversized couch and a TV. Further down to the right was a door that Kara assumed was a bathroom and at the end was a set of double doors that were standing open to reveal a bedroom complete with king-sized bed.

“So, um… you can take the bed and I… I can take the couch if you want. I know… I know this is a lot and…” But Alex’s words were abruptly cut off when Kara fisted her hand in the front of her shirt and pushed her backwards, her eyes full of something the warden had only seen brief flashes of before. Then they were in the bedroom and Kara’s tongue was in her mouth and she groaned deep in her chest, forgetting the couch in an instant.

“Did you really think I’d want you to sleep apart from me?” the blonde asked roughly. Then she frowned and took a half-step back. “Wait… Do… do YOU actually want to sleep… I mean… look… I get it if…”

“Kara, shut up,” Alex growled as she captured her girlfriend’s lips in a searing kiss, threading her fingers into her blonde hair and groaning into her mouth as Kara’s hands landed on her ass and she slotted her thigh between the brunette’s. The warden’s lips traced a path along the blonde’s jawline and up to her ear. “I feel like I might explode if I don’t touch you right now.”

Kara groaned as Alex pushed her jacket off her shoulders onto the floor and then lifted her shirt off over her head to fling it aside. The blonde’s skin was already on fire and she threaded her fingers into the warden’s hair as Alex placed open mouthed kisses down her neck, only to pause and suck gently at her pulse point. Gentle fingertips grazed reverently down Kara’s spine to the small of her back and Alex pressed them impossibly closer as she fitted their thighs together again and rocked against her.

Kara was utterly lost in sensation she hadn’t felt in way too long, her breathing coming harder as she fisted her hands in Alex’s shirt again and guided her back to her mouth, sweeping her tongue inside and licking at its roof. The brunette groaned and her hips jerked forward as Kara’s hands flattened on her chest and moved lower to palm her breasts. “Take this off,” she whispered as she grasped the hem of the shirt and lifted it off over Alex’s head, immediately going back to her lips as her hands moved back to her bra-covered chest. She smiled as her own bra catch suddenly popped open and the material was swept down her arms and away onto the floor somewhere.

Alex gasped at the beauty of her lover’s body and her hands ran down Kara’s sides over her rib cage, mindful of her still healing bruises as she leaned down and captured the blonde’ breast in her mouth. She swirled her tongue around the swelling bud of flesh at its center and Kara shuddered, groaning as the sensation sent lightning bolts right to her core and the insistent throbbing between her thighs made her back up toward the bed, drawing Alex with her.

The brunette whimpered at the momentary loss of contact, but Kara soothed her as she relieved her of her bra and pressed their bodies together skin to skin. She grinned then as she tumbled them onto the bed and lay of top of Alex, going back to her lips to kiss her senseless as she pushed her thigh down hard against her sex.

“Oh God,” Alex groaned as Kara eased the brunette’s left hand over her head and laced their fingers together, using it for balance as she pushed her thigh down hard into her lover again. “Kara...” This time, the brunette’s hips rolled up on the blonde’s down thrust and Kara gasped as her own center responded happily. She shifted slightly and Alex’s leg hooked around hers as their lips met and they increased their pace, pushing hard into each other and groaning at the delicious friction. Alex’s face and chest were flushed with arousal and her brown eyes shimmered with emotion as Kara looked down at her tenderly. “Please don’t stop,” she whispered and the blonde nodded hard, reaffirming her grip on her lover’s hand and kissing her again.

Probing fingers skittered down Kara’s back, making her gasp into Alex’s mouth and she redoubled her efforts, speeding their rhythm as it became impossible to maintain any further control, and her breath came in sharp, ragged pants. But when Alex leaned up and nipped sharply at her pulse point, Kara cried out and her hips stuttered hard, her grip tightening to almost painful on her lover’s hand as she came hard.

The look of ecstasy on Kara’s face and the hard pressing down of her thigh in just the right spot sent Alex over the edge right after her and her free hand gripped hard onto Kara’s shoulder as she shuddered beneath her. They stayed there for a long moment, letting the waves of pleasure and aftershocks wash over them until Kara finally let herself relax onto her lover’s chest, kissing Alex’s throat softly as the brunette’s arms and legs wrapped tightly around her.

“Is... is this ok?” the blonde asked shakily. “I’m not too heavy, am I?”

But Alex just hugged her harder. “Don’t move,” she said softly, needing Kara’s weight to ground her. Otherwise, she felt she might float away on a haze of afterglow.

“You’re so beautiful, Alex,” the blonde murmured into the quiet stillness of the room. “And so strong and amazing. I was lying to myself thinking that I could have stayed away from you in that place. You're the woman of my dreams.”

The warden chuckled softly as she unwrapped her legs from Kara’s waist and eased them over on their sides facing each other. “Me too,” she replied softly, running her fingertip slowly down the blonde’s nose. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Watching you playing basketball or lifting weights made me weak at the knees.”

“Oh yeah?” the blonde said with a sexy grin as she traced her fingertips down Alex’s chest and over her stomach to the button of her pants. She eased the brunette onto her back and captured her own bottom lip between her teeth, eyes widening in playful surprise as she popped the button open. Alex’s breath caught at the sight of those blue, blue eyes full of need gazing back at her. “I had this fantasy of coming to your office and… bending you over your desk.” Kara said as she slowly pulled down the zipper and let her fingertips slip under the waistband of Alex’s underwear. “And when I put my hand on you, you were always so ready for me.” She slid her fingers lower, easing through soft down until they slipped into silken wetness that made her close her eyes and swallow hard. “Just like you are now.”

“Fuck, Kara,” Alex gasped out as the blonde’s middle finger dipped between her folds and barely grazed her swollen flesh.

“Mmmmmmm...” Kara agreed happily. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” She helped Alex to shimmy out of her pants and underwear and kick them off the bed. “I was also thinking that I have no curfew…” She let her fingers explore a little more and Alex’s hips arched up, seeking more contact. “No nighttime count…” She slowly pushed two fingers inside her lover, and the brunette moaned loudly. “No lockdown.” Kara leaned over to tease Alex’s lips with the tip of her tongue. “Do you know what that means?” she asked as she pulled back and then thrusted deeper inside her, sucking her lover’s earlobe into her mouth and nibbling softly.

Alex just shook her head, words and pretty much thought in general stolen from her as faster thrusts sent liquid fire through her body.

“It means…” Kara went on slowly as she circled the brunette’s clit with her thumb. “I can go.” She thrusted harder, finding that ridge inside Alex and curling her fingers to caress it. “ALL…” She pushed deep again swirling her thumb faster around and around the swollen bundle of nerves and smiling as Alex’s hand clamped down on her arm as she whimpered loudly. “NIGHT.” One last thrust and press of her thumb and Alex flew over the precipice with a joyous cry of pleasure, her grip leaving fingermarks on the blonde’s arm as she quaked beneath her. Kara slowly caressed the brunette’s face as she watched her soar… and then slowly come back to earth to start breathing again. “I love you,” she whispered. “So much.”

She rested her head on Alex’s chest, listening as her thundering heartbeat began to slow and her breathing eased into a more regular rhythm.

“I love you too,” the brunette’s whispered, caressing Kara’s hair as she felt tears run from the corners of her own eyes into the soft hair at her temples.

Xx

It was close to three in the morning when Alex woke, pleasantly sated from their hours of lovemaking, but she frowned when she realized she was alone in bed and sat up, looking sleepily around the room. “Kara?” she called out.

“In the living room,” the blonde called back.

Alex slipped into t-shirt and shorts and moved out into the open space to find her lover sitting in the padded window seat, arms wrapped around her upraised knees and chin resting on them as she gazed out the window at the city skyline. She was dressed in one of Alex’s oversized t-shirts and it made the brunette smile as she moved to her and caressed her back gently. “Feeling ok?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Kara replied with a smile as she looked at her. “Just trouble getting to sleep. Too quiet.” She shrugged and let her gaze fall back out over the city. “I got used to sleeping through constant noise.”

“Are you tired, Sweetheart? Do you want to sleep?”

Kara nodded. “Yeah,” she replied on a soft exhalation.

Alex smiled and held out her hand. “I think I know something that might help.”

“Ok.” Kara nodded as she took the brunette’s hand willingly and she smiled as Alex led her to the couch. She lay down and then pulled the blonde down on top of her and they squirmed around a little ‘til they settled on their sides, comfortably pressed together. Alex grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, setting the volume low and then she pulled a blanket down from the back of the couch to cover them against the chill of the air conditioning.

She felt her lover exhale and relax against her, hand fisted in Alex’s shirt as her breath ghosted across her chest and slowly evened out. “Thank you, Alex,” Kara murmured. “Thank you for understanding.”

The brunette stroked her girlfriend’s hair gently and whispered to her. “Sleep well, Honey. I love you.”

She felt the brush of lips against the hollow of her throat.

“I love you too.”

The End.


End file.
